MLB Writer Pushes Red Sox To Get Involved In Shohei Ohtani Sweepstakes

Ohtani would require a historic trade package.

Scott Neville | Sep 23, 2022

MLB Writer Pushes Red Sox To Get Involved In Shohei Ohtani Sweepstakes /

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Boston Red Sox

Could the Boston Red Sox jumpstart their offseason by trading for the reigning American League MVP, who doubles as an ace and a No. 3 hitter?

In a full breakdown of how Boston could get out of the basement of the AL East, The Athletic's Jim Bowden tossed out the idea of giving up a historic haul for Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani.

"Trying to trade for Shohei Ohtani would be a dream move, as he would fill two huge needs as an impact bat and an ace," Bowden wrote Friday. "But the Red Sox farm system might not be deep enough to compete with other teams for Ohtani, a unicorn who, if traded this winter, could match or exceed the return in the Juan Soto blockbuster deal."

While the Red Sox do not have the top farm system in the sport, prospects such as shortstop Marcelo Mayer (No. 1 Red Sox prospect according to MLB Pipeline), first baseman Triston Casas (No. 2), versatile infielder/outfielder Ceddane Rafaela (No. 3) and second baseman Nick Yorke (No. 4) would all be considered highly-enticing trade chips.

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Going all-in for one player (even if he fills two roles) would not be the smartest of investments, but it could pair with a massive offseason to restructure a roster in need of change.

For the Red Sox to genuinely consider a move of this caliber, it has to be paired with an extension of third baseman Rafael Devers; either an extension of shortstop Xander Bogaerts or a signing of impending-free agents Trea Turner, Carlos Correa or Dansby Swanson; and a bolstering of the entire pitching staff.

If the move kicks off an offseason of major spending and multiple notable trades, so be it. Otherwise, the move should not even be considered. If the acquisition of Shohei Ohtani alone was worth it, the Angels would not be 65-85.

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Published Sep 23, 2022

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