Red Sox Linked To Brewers Slugger As 'Blockbuster Target' Ahead Of Deadline

Should the Red Sox look into completing a major deal with the Brewers for the slugger?

Jun 18, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; A Milwaukee Brewers logo on a batting helmet in the dugout / Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

How will the Boston Red Sox handle the trade deadline this season?

Boston has been impressive this season and boasts arguably the top starting rotation in baseball. Injuries have hurt the club, but they have been able to stay above water and are in contention for an American League Wild Card spot at this point.

There still are a few months to go until the deadline and anything could happen but it's never too early to start speculating. Boston's offense hasn't been as it hoped -- in large part due to the heavy injuries the club has dealt with -- and there could be some intriguing options available.

Shortstop is an area the Red Sox could look to upgrade so they could move Ceddanne Rafaela back to the outfield. The Red Sox lost Trevor Story for the season and top prospect Marcelo Mayer likely won't get an opportunity at the big league level until the fall at the earliest.

One player who was mentioned as a possible "blockbuster target" for the Red Sox was Milwaukee Brewers slugger Willy Adames by Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter.

"Shortstop Willy Adames is a free agent this coming offseason, and odds are he will be headed for greener pastures on the open market," Reuter said. "With an impressive collection of young infielders that includes Brice Turang, Joey Ortiz, and Tyler Black, an Adames trade would open the door for more playing time for those guys.

"Adames, 28, has a 124 OPS+ with 11 doubles, seven home runs, 29 RBI, and 1.3 WAR in 42 games, and he would be a candidate to be extended by the Red Sox."

Adames has been great so far this season for the Brewers and will be a free agent at the end of the season. He's someone the Red Sox could look to acquire to help out in the short-term at shortstop without blocking a path for Mayer to see significant time in 2025.

It's unclear what the future holds for Story, but Adames could be a good option to help the team in 2024.

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