The Never Weres

The time for the Red Sox to make a move is now. The team started the month 23-27 and at the time of this post are 39-31. That is a record of 16-4 for the non-mathletes out there. They are still 12.5 games out of first place in the AL East, which the Yankees have a stranglehold on. But, with three teams making the playoffs as wild-card teams this year, the Red Sox are on the right track to get into the postseason.

The biggest concern is still the bullpen. It will continue to be the bullpen. It will always be the bullpen. Without a definite closer and with Whitlock currently in the rotation, there is a gaping hole that needs to be filled. This is the time to give all NESN producers and pink-hat fans a SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING.

The Red Sox should trade Kiké Hernandez. Sorry to everyone at NESN and all Red Sox Nation members for that attack. Jarren Duran has used this recent call-up to prove that he should be the Centerfielder going forward. He is explosive when he runs the bases. He gives the team speed that can wreak havoc at the top of the lineup and he is a young player that can be there for years to come. The Red Sox still have all his arbitration years ahead of them.

Hernandez is currently making $8 million which isn’t a lot for a team to take on. The reason the Red Sox should move on is he is a free agent after this year. So if the goal is to make a playoff run and you need a bullpen arm (or several) to do that he is an enticing enough name to get that done. Plus, he is already coming off the books at the end of the year.

Wait, trading a guy with movie star looks and a cooky personality??? I must be insane. What is insane is having a guy slashing .209/.273/.307 leading off for a team looking to compete in the AL East. That is absurd actually. We here at the Never Weres studios understand that he was hotter than the sun in the playoffs last year. Fair argument. All I would say is go back to 2007 when the addition of Jacoby Ellsbury and subsequent benching of Coco Crisp vaulted the Red Sox to a World Series title.

The key is finding a trade partner. You will need to find someone who could use a versatile veteran like Hernandez and has bullpen arms to spare. Maybe Milwaulkee could use a bat to try and stay in the race in the NL Central. The NL West is going to be a bloodbath all year, maybe one of those teams will part with a guy that throws high 90s with a wipe-out slider for an everyday player.

I know it is not what the Sweet Caroliners want to see but most level-headed Red Sox fans understand that this is a move that could get them over the hump where they failed last year.

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