The 2024 Boston Red Sox are at a crossroads.
The Red Sox are in the thick of the American League Wild Card race (two games behind the Kansas City Royals for the final spot) at 53-46. But after getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers and falling in extra innings to the Colorado Rockies on Monday night, it's still unclear Boston will look to buy or sell ahead of next Tuesday's MLB trade deadline.
In fact, ESPN's Jeff Passan noted Tuesday there are "dueling thoughts within the (Red Sox) organization that run into direct conflict with one another:" Should chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and the front office go all-in to reward a team that's overachieved for most of the season, or stay patient and wait for a promising young core to further develop?
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Red Sox players and manager Alex Cora clearly want the team to buy, and Boston already has been tied to a few potential trade targets. If Breslow and Co. do become buyers, here are three players who have been linked to the Red Sox -- as well as one position on the team's radar -- with July 30 right around the corner.
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Jameson Taillon, SP, Chicago Cubs
General manager Jed Hoyer declared the Cubs' intentions to sell Monday, and the Red Sox reportedly have already had talks with Chicago about Taillon.
The 6-foot-5 right-hander is enjoying a strong bounce-back season -- 7-4 record, 3.10 ERA and 1.161 WHIP through 16 starts -- and easily could be a middle-of-the-rotation arm for Boston.
The question is how much Taillon would cost. He's under contract through 2026 on a four-year, $68 million contract, so the Red Sox likely would have to part with one or two decent prospects to acquire the 32-year-old.
James Paxton, SP, Free Agent
The Los Angeles Dodgers surprisingly designated Paxton for assignment Monday, and there's a "strong likelihood" the Red Sox pursue a reunion with the 35-year-old left-hander, per Audacy's Rob Bradford.
As our Justin Leger wrote Monday, Paxton would be easy to acquire as a free agent with low cost and would fill an obvious need for Boston, which has relied on Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski to fill the No. 5 spot in its rotation.
Paxton spent the 2022 and 2023 campaigns with the Red Sox, so he's familiar with the organization. He also boasts an 8-2 record with a 4.43 ERA this season, and while his 48 walks lead the National League, he'd be more than serviceable as a fifth starter for Boston.
Luis Rengifo, INF, Los Angeles Angels
The Red Sox need a right-handed bat to help balance out their predominately lefty lineup, and Rengifo is on their radar, according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo.
While Rengifo currently is on the injured list with a broken hand, he's expected to return soon and would help Boston address its struggles against left-handed pitching this season: the switch-hitter is batting .380 with a .955 OPS as a right-handed batter versus lefties.
Rengifo also can play multiple infield positions and racked up 22 steals in 69 games before hitting the injured list.
Left-handed relievers
Bradford also reports the Red Sox are in the market for a "lefty reliever who might be able to get a bit more swing and miss than their current options."
It's still unclear who they might target as a bullpen add, but Bradford mentions the Miami Marlins' Tanner Scott, the Detroit Tigers' Andrew Chafin, the Marlins' Andrew Nardi and the Tampa Bay Rays' Garrett Cleavinger as players who should be on the Red Sox' radar.