This time last month, the Boston Red Sox were preparing to be potential sellers at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Now, the Red Sox selling at the deadline seems highly unlikely.
That's because their season has completely changed over the last three weeks. After winning 14 of their last 16 games, they enter the All-Star Break just half a game out of a wild card spot.
Boston has made up a ton of ground in the standings, vaulting itself into contention in a weak American League. Accordingly, Ken Rosenthal expects the Red Sox to buy at the deadline now that they're in the playoff hunt, just as he predicted two weeks ago.
Here come the Red Sox... 👀
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 13, 2026
"I don't think they're selling right now. No chance. Craig Breslow isn't going to want to concede," says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/Nd2tE8Qk8o
"Going into the deadline, what will the Red Sox do? I don't think they're selling as of right now. No chance," Rosenthal said on Monday's episode of "Foul Territory." "They’ve got a chance and they’ve got a chief baseball officer who has been under scrutiny. He’s not going to want to concede.”
He's probably right. Boston chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has publicly spoken of adding at the deadline all season, even when his team appeared to be out of contention. Now that the Red Sox are back in the mix, he has every reason to buy and try to help them reach the playoffs.
Breslow's last two deadlines have been underwhelming, so he'll need to step it up and be aggressive if he wants to acquire a real difference-maker. If he doesn't, this deadline may go down as another missed opportunity for Boston.