A rare trade between division rivals almost took place at the MLB trade deadline as the Red Sox discussed sending outfielder Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees in exchange for starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt, Chris Henrique of Beyond the Monster reported Thursday.
While the move may have come as a surprise, the Red Sox reportedly made it known that Verdugo would be available on the trade market towards the end of July, stating that they were "willing to listen to offers."
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With the Red Sox currently tied for last in their division, pitching has been a serious concern. Rafael Devers was vocal about this issue prior to the deadline, asking the Red Sox to add some pitching help to the roster. Schmidt, a right-handed starting pitcher, could have helped answer Devers' issue.
The Red Sox currently rank 21st in Major League Baseball with a 4.57 ERA. Schmidt currently has a 4.54 ERA, which would rank fourth in Boston's starting rotation behind Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, and James Paxton. He would also be leading the team in strikeouts with 139.
Now without a job, then Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom was keen on bringing in guys who he believed would be long-term contributors, which complicates the situation further - Verdugo is signed through the 2024 season, while Schmidt's contract is up at the end of the season.