2024 MLB trade deadline tracker: Every Red Sox rumor and transaction
Welcome to the Boston Herald’s 2024 MLB trade deadline tracker, your home for every Red Sox rumor and transaction until the Tuesday, July 30 cutoff.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has publicly declared the Red Sox buyers, with a specific focus on pitching and a right-handed hitter to balance out Boston’s lefty-heavy lineup. They’ve already made the biggest pre-deadline move in the Majors, extending manager Alex Cora through the 2027 season.
Thursday, July 25
(9:26 p.m.) According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Red Sox are among teams that have “expressed interest” in Chicago Cubs right-handed starter Jameson Taillon. Other potential suitors include the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Yankees. Taillon, 32, has posted a career-best 2.96 ERA over 17 starts. Though not a big strikeout pitcher, Taillon ranks in the 85th MLB percentile or better in Pitching Run Value (85th), walk rate (89th), and Fastball Run Value (94th), and excels at inducing weak contact.
Tuesday, July 23
James Paxton pitched well against the Red Sox on Sunday, and was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers the next morning. According to multiple reports and sources, the Red Sox are interested in a reunion with the veteran southpaw, whom they signed to a one-year deal with an option before the 2022 season. After missing all of ’22 and beginning ’23 on the injured list, Paxton pitched well in the first half; before the All-Star break, he owned a 2.73 ERA over 10 starts, with 64 strikeouts and 14 walks across 56 innings. Over nine starts in the second half, however, he posted a 6.98 ERA with a reduced strikeout rate and elevated walk rate over his 40 innings. Paxton made 18 starts for the Dodgers before being DFA’ed, already almost matching his ’23 season total in innings (89.1), but leading the National League with 48 walks, the second-highest mark of his 11-year career.