I think the next week will go a long way to determine if this team is buying or selling. If they go say 4-1 before the deadline and are a game out of the last playoff spot or in one of the two wild card spots, do you try to make a run at Edwin Diaz, who the Mets appear to be making available? Or if they go 1-4 in that time, do you see Betts, Martinez, and Price made available and moved? Should be interesting last few days before the deadline.
Despite what happens during the rest of the series with the Yankees, I don't think the Red Sox end up selling. They'll still be within striking distance of the wild card. Also, because they just extended Sale, Bogaerts and re-signed Eovaldi, they don't seem to be in a position to sell. As for being buyers, hopefully they acquire a reliever (Ken Giles or Shane Greene, for example.) If they can do that with Eovaldi hopefully rounding into form, Barnes and Workman continuing to do well with some surprising contributions from Josh Taylor, Colten Brewer and even Darwinzon Hernandez, the bullpen would be in decent shape.
The offseason is when they will have some tough decisions to make, especially when it comes to Mookie, Bradley and Martinez.
I'd love to see them keep Mookie (even if it goes into $300 million territory) because he's a good player and should be the face of the franchise. But if he's adamant on hitting free agency, then it's time for the Sox to explore a potential trade. Ditto for Bradley. With JD, if he opts out, I'm not sure the Sox try to resign him at what JD will want (likely around $125 mil.)
I also think Porcello will be gone.
Next season, we might see a quasi-rebuild where the Sox build around a veteran core of Sale, Price, Eovaldi and then a younger one in Devers, Bogaerts, ERod, Benintendi, Chavis and Vasquez.
Although, going after Gerrit Cole would be a great idea. If they do that, they have one of the best rotations in baseball and will easily contend, even if the offense takes a hit.
