Dodgers Reportedly Almost Traded For Red Sox Star Last Season Before Deal Fell Apart

One former Red Sox fan-favorite and champion was very close to being traded last season

The Boston Red Sox have dealt with excessive turnover over the last two years. 

In both seasons, the Red Sox finished with 78 wins and have not been able to get back to the level of success the organization typically is known for. In 2022, as the season was sputtering the club attempted to figure out its plan ahead of the trade deadline. Rather than opting for either an all-in, or sell approach, the team chose to do a sort of hybrid where Boston did trade people away -- namely Christian Vázquez -- but also added. 

One player who reportedly almost was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers was then Red Sox star J.D. Martinez, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford. 

"According to a source, the Red Sox were very close to dealing J.D. Martinez to the Dodgers heading into the 2022 Trade Deadline," Bradford said. But in the final moments, the Sox asked for an additional arm: Evan Phillips. That ended that.

"To the Red Sox' credit, they identified the right guy, with Phillips serving as Los Angeles' closer for much of the 2023 season (in which he finished with a 2.05 ERA) after totaling a 1.14 ERA across 64 outings last season.

Martinez ultimately ended up joining the Dodgers as a free agent this past offseason but it's very interesting seeing what could have happened last year. The Red Sox tried to toe the line at the trade deadline and it didn't work last year and it didn't work once again in 2023. Martinez had a bounce-back season this year with Los Angeles and clubbed 33 home runs and drove in 103 runs.

Boston will have some serious decisions to make this offseason and could look very different next year.

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