Red Sox Swing Rare Intra-Division Trade For Right-Handed Hitter, Upgrade Key Position
![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](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5568,h_3132,x_0,y_433/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_red_sox/01j3v8zpcywp41c8mjgw.jpg)
The Boston Red Sox are starting to get active in the trade market with moves on back-to-back days from chief baseball officer Craig Breslow in his first year at the helm of baseball operations.
Just a day after making a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers to bring back left-hander James Paxton, Breslow has dipped into the American League East market to bring in a right-handed bat at a key position.
"The Red Sox today acquired catcher Danny Jansen from the Toronto Blue Jays, in exchange for minor league infielders Cutter Coffey and Eddinson Paulino, and minor league right-handed pitcher Gilberto Batista," the team announced.
"To make room for Jansen on the 40-Man Roster, the Red Sox designated right-handed pitcher Alex Speas for assignment."
Jansen is hitting .212 with 19 extra-base hits including six home runs, 18 RBIs and a .671 OPS (90 OPS+) in 61 games. The right-handed backstop is a career .222 hitter with a .733 OPS (100 OPS+) across seven seasons.
Breslow has been open regarding his need to upgrade the right-handed hitting group but a catcher to supplant Reese McGuire was not high on the priority list.
For what it's worth, it would be quite surprising if Breslow deemed Jansen the upgrade to solve their lack of right-handed hitting -- this appears to be more of an opportunity to bolster the catcher position. In fact, like most of the roster, Jansen is better over the course of his career against righties than lefties.
While the trade package feels heavy for a rental backup catcher, this move should not be seen as much more than an opportunity to get a little better.
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