Trade Deadline: Should Red Sox play it smart or think big?

Jul. 28—The MLB trade deadline is coming up this Friday and the Boston Red Sox are likely to make a move. Who might the team bring in to set itself up for the stretch run? Here are a couple of possibilities, from the most likely and practical to the more farfetched yet exciting.

Single: Paul Fry, LHP, Orioles

The Red Sox bullpen has been better than expected this season, but that doesn't mean the team couldn't use another arm for the late innings. Specifically, the Red Sox are somewhat light on lefties, with only Josh Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez available in the pen, so it might not be a bad idea to add a third.

One option if Boston wanted to go that route is Baltimore lefty Paul Fry, who has been one of the Orioles' best relievers this summer. The 29-year-old Fry has posted a 3.49 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 38.2 innings, and he's also relatively inexpensive and under team control through the 2024 season.

Would the Orioles make a move like this within the division? Given how far out of contention Baltimore is, there's no real downside, as long as they're able to get a prospect or two they think can help them in a couple of years. Boston should be able to meet that price without giving up anything too valuable.

Double: C.J. Cron, 1B, Rockies

The Red Sox need an upgrade at first base, and last week we went deep into the possibility that Boston could trade for Anthony Rizzo. That's still a great option for the Red Sox, but what if the Cubs decide to hang onto the three-time all-star, or the Red Sox can't find a price they like? Who else might fit the bill?

One good option is Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron, who has vastly exceeded expectations since signing a one-year, $1 million deal this past offseason. Cron came into the season looking to prove himself after missing most of 2020 due to knee surgery, and he's more than done so by slashing .247/.359/.464 with 14 home runs, 42 RBI and an .823 OPS. He's also been particularly good against lefties (.911 OPS).

As a veteran of eight years with an established track record of hitting at the big league level, Cron could be the kind of under-the-radar addition who makes a big difference in the postseason. With Colorado well out of contention and Cron's contract all but a non-factor, he could likely be had for a second-tier prospect or two, something the Red Sox have in abundance.

Triple: Kris Bryant, UTL, Cubs

Paul Fry and C.J. Cron would be nice, realistic pickups, but what if the Red Sox decided to swing a little bigger? Imagine for a second that Chaim Bloom decided to bring in Kris Bryant. What might that mean for this team?

On the field, it's hard to imagine a bigger game-changer than Bryant. The 2016 NL MVP has been one of the best players in baseball throughout his career and this summer he's been terrific once again. He's currently slashing .269/.356/.500 with 17 home runs and 50 RBI, and earlier this month he was selected to his fourth All-Star Game.

Though best known as a third baseman, this year he has also become a super utility player, playing 12 games at first base, 28 at third, 27 at left field, 14 at center field and 28 at right field. With Boston, he would slot in as the team's regular first baseman with the ability to sub pretty much anywhere Alex Cora needs.

That's the good. The bad is that Bryant is an impeding free agent and getting him from the Cubs would probably cost a top prospect like Jarren Duran or Jeter Downs. It's hard to imagine Bloom paying that price for a three-month rental, but man would those three months be something.

Home run: Max Scherzer, RHP, Nationals

This one isn't likely to happen, but let's take that above scenario to its extreme and imagine a world where Bloom goes full Leeroy Jenkins on this upcoming postseason. Prospects? Long-term sustainability? Who needs those when you can win another World Series right now. Let's do this!

Even at age 37, Scherzer is still one of the best pitchers in baseball and would transform Boston's starting rotation. The three-time Cy Young Award winner currently boasts a 2.83 ERA with 142 strikeouts in 105 innings, and earlier this month he started the All-State Game for the fourth time in his career. He is a legit ace, and considering that the Red Sox are about to get Chris Sale back from Tommy John surgery, adding Scherzer too would make Boston's rotation terrifying.

Scherzer wouldn't come cheap — probably some combination of Jarren Duran, Jeter Downs and Triston Casas just to start, maybe all three — and there would be a myriad of contractual hurdles to clear in addition to convincing him to approve a trade to Boston. He'd also be a rental, which Bloom won't go for, but if somehow all of that got worked out, his potential impact on this team can't be overstated.

Again, it's not likely to happen, but tell me the idea of Sale, Scherzer and Nathan Eovaldi leading the postseason rotation doesn't sound enticing?

Email: mcerullo@northofboston.com. Twitter: @MacCerullo.