Red Sox News & Links: Sox reportedly “going big” at trade deadline

Key Points:

• The Boston Red Sox are expected to be aggressive at the trade deadline, potentially pursuing shortstops like Zach Neto, Jeremy Pena, CJ Abrams, or Otto Lopez to strengthen their roster, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
• Acquiring top shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. from the Kansas City Royals would require a significant trade package, including prospects like Anthony and Arias, as noted by The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey.
• The Red Sox need to improve their offense to contend, with historical playoff success linked to teams that rank highly in runs scored, emphasizing the importance of adding power hitters, per Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.
• Curtis Mead may return this season to bolster the offense after avoiding wrist surgery, with a tentative 6-8 week recovery timeline aligning with the regular season’s end, reports MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.
• The emergence of Tyron Guerrero has strengthened the Red Sox bullpen by effectively shortening games for opponents, with his low 3% walk rate highlighting his strong control beyond just velocity, according to MassLive and Boston Globe coverage.