Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox Hurler Hints At Wanting To Be Traded At Deadline Under Probable Circumstance

Boston has left at least one player disgruntled this season

Scott Neville

Mar 30, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A general view of Fenway Park before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A general view of Fenway Park before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
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The Boston Red Sox did everything they could to anger their active roster last offseason -- starting by building full-throttle expectations that started with notable firings from the top down and direct quotes from ownership and the new baseball leadership group that implied brighter days were ahead.

After weeks of hyping up a new era, they did exactly what they've been doing for years -- being cheap and openly admitting that winning was not going to be a priority until their top three prospects -- Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel arrive at the big-league level.

That led to many disgruntled players coming into spring training -- a couple of whom spoke out. While Rafael Devers remains signed for the greater part of a decade, closer Kenley Jansen shared his displeaser as well and appears to have one foot out of the door.

When asked if he wanted to be traded at the deadline if Boston is not in the playoff hunt, he made his desires crystal clear.

“I’m not in that space thinking about that right now, but if that time comes, we’ll see what they want to do,” Jansen told MassLive's Chris Cotillo. “(My priority is) not gonna change. Winning is my priority. I would love to be playing for a championship. But I’m here and it has to be our priority to win. And me throwing the ball better to help my team win, too."

If his priority his to win regardless of what team he's on and Boston wants to sell in a few months, it's pretty clear that he would want out.

Jansen was told when he came here prior to the 2023 season that the plan was to build a competitive roster in the short term. Since then, Boston sold at the following deadline, finished in last place of the American League East for the second consecutive season and then punted again this offseason.

The Red Sox are wasting some of the final years of his career and it's clear that all he wants to do is make a run for a World Series. While I'm sure he'd be thrilled to do so in Boston, it's obvious he doesn't think that will happen in 2023 and he'd be right to feel that way.

Jansen is an impending free agent and would be one of the first players shipped out should the Red Sox sell at the trade deadline.

More MLB: Ex-Red Sox Hurler Vaulted Into Closer By Committee Role With National League Foe

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Scott Neville
SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer.  His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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