The MLB Trade Deadline is four weeks away, but the Boston Red Sox are still caught in the middle.
On the one hand, their 40-48 record suggests they should sell. They're last in the AL East and have just a 21.2 percent chance of reaching the postseason, per FanGraphs.
On the other hand, the Red Sox still have a positive run differential and have been playing better lately. After winning eight of their last 10 games, they're only four games out of a playoff spot and might finally be starting to turn things around.
Accordingly, it's still unclear whether Boston will look to buy, sell, or perhaps do both at the trade deadline.
What will the Red Sox do at the Trade Deadline?@alexspeier shares insight into the decision as Boston continues to trend in the right direction. pic.twitter.com/UZpiDF28c1
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) July 6, 2026
"Their record at 40-48 is not really that of a team that's a buyer, but the American League is really bad this year," Boston Globe reporter Alex Speier said on MLB Now on Monday. "There's been an element of underperformance...which is why they keep kicking the can down the road."
As such, Speier expects the Red Sox to wait until after the All-Star Break and perhaps right up until the Aug/ 3 deadline before deciding which direction to take. If they play well over the next few weeks, buying could be an option. If they regress and struggle, however, then selling may be their only option.
If Boston does sell, Speier noted that could be tricky given how many players are still under team control beyond this season. Sonny Gray is a pending free agent, but other veterans like Willson Contreras, Aroldis Chapman and Jarren Duran are not.
Accordingly, the Red Sox will need to decide who's worth keeping around and who to part ways with if they decide to sell.