At the deadline, the Red Sox caught plenty of heat for standing pat. Critics claimed the team’s management did not do enough, and some questioned whether chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was being too cautious. Fans wanted a splash and an elite star, something that screamed urgency. But Boston has quietly gone 15-6 since the deadline, climbing back into the Wild Card picture with a +93 run differential in that span. Sometimes, the biggest win comes from the deal you don’t make.
One star that had the fans of the Red Sox buzzing was Sandy Alcantara. The former Cy Young winner looked like a classic “change of scenery” candidate. Alcantara had flashed back-to-back scoreless outings right before the deadline, just enough to spark rumors that the Red Sox could roll the dice. However, Breslow did not bite, and this is the kicker — as per FanSided’s Brian Burrows, “It seems like the Sox (as well as most teams around the league) dodged a bullet with this one.”
The reason? Sandy Alcantara’s struggles since the deadline have been glaring. In just three August outings, the star had 6 ERA in 7 innings, and then followed it up with five runs in five innings. That means Alcantara’s ERA is approximately 6.31, making it painfully clear that the risk is real. Imagine the Red Sox giving up top stars for a struggling star, only to watch Alcantara implode under the Fenway lights. That is the kind of gamble that can sink a season.
Of course, the decision was not just related to avoiding disaster. The Red Sox already had the makings of a powerful playoff rotation. Garrett Crochet has been nothing short of electric, while Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello provide steady help. Add in Dustin May, who is showing flashes of his old self, and suddenly you see why Breslow did not feel pressured to force a move. In hindsight, the team’s “quiet” deadline now looks more like an analyzed discipline.
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To truly appreciate how the team’s restraint at the deadline is paying off, it is worth looking at what the Red Sox already had in-house. Sometimes the best additions do not come from outside deals, but from the talent rising within your system. And that is where another player enters the picture.
Could Roman Anthony be emerging as the Red Sox’s next star?
The Red Sox could not have landed a marquee star at the deadline; however, the team did not need to make a splash when their elite star was already shining. Since his debut in June, Roman Anthony has brought an energy that has transformed the lineup. At just 21 years old, Roman Anthony is slashing .277/.401/.436 with four homers, 23 RBIs, and an impressive 16 doubles across only 54 games. The number is one thing; however, what has stood out most is Roman Anthony’s poise. Rarely chasing pitches out of the zone, he has already established himself as a disciplined hitter who establishes the tone atop the order.
That maturity has not gone unnoticed inside the team either. Veteran Alex Bregman has gone out of his way to praise Anthony’s approach, calling the star “one of the best hitters in all of baseball.” That is no small compliment coming from a star with Bregman’s résumé. It is not just an empty statement, either — Anthony’s presence has given the team the kind of offensive spark that money can not buy at the deadline. Pair Roman Anthony’s production with Marcelo Mayer’s promise, and suddenly the Red Sox are not just building for today’s race; however, setting the stage for a dominant tomorrow.
Image: MLB.com
At the end of the day, MLB is as much about timing as it is about talent. For the Red Sox, the decision to pass on a marquee star like Alcantara could have looked cautious; however, hindsight is proving it wise. For Alcantara, this chapter is a reminder of how quickly momentum can shift. One team dodged a bullet, another pitcher swallowed a bitter pill — and fans are left to wonder how distinctive the story could have been.
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