Red Sox fans slam team for ’embarrassing’ trade deadline

The trade deadline did not go the way many Red Sox fans envisioned it would.

With Boston occupying a playoff spot and in contention for an AL East crown, many Boston fans believed this deadline was an utter failure for team due to an uninspiring haul.

Boston acquired reliever Steven Matz and struggling ex-Dodgers starter Dustin May, while neglecting first base and failing to land a frontline pitcher.

One fan on X said, “Let’s just say it. Red Sox, this is f–king embarrassing.” 

Another fan on X joked that their trade deadline was worse than a team that no longer exists: “The Montreal Expos had a better trade deadline than (top executive) Craig Breslow.”

The Red Sox occupy the second wild-card spot and sit just five games back of the Blue Jays in the AL East, putting them in a solid spot to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Coming into the deadline, the Red Sox wanted to address two areas — first base and starting pitching. 

While there were many rumors that the Red Sox were trying to acquire Twins ace Joe Ryan — and even a false tweet that they had done so right before the 6 p.m. deadline — those talks did not cross the finish line. Ryan stayed in Minnesota despite the Twins gutting their roster.

That left the Red Sox with just Matz and May, a rather light influx compared to the Yankees’ notable adds and the acquisitions several other teams made.

Matz had been a solid reliever for the Cardinals but is not a transformative piece, while May posted a 4.85 ERA for Los Angeles.

Not adding a position player left the Red Sox in the same vulnerable state regarding first base.

This tepid deadline comes on the heels of Breslow, the team’s president of baseball operations, trading star third baseman Rafael Devers to the Giants in a controversial move.

While some understand why the Red Sox moved Devers, others are not happy with the franchise especially considering past trades of stars like Mookie Betts.

The Devers trade actually tied into the Red Sox’s activity Thursday since they used prospect James Tibbs III, acquired in the Devers trade, to land May.

Including Tibbs did not sit well with some fans. 

“Craig Breslow somehow found a way to make the Rafael Devers trade look even worse,” X account @KutterIsKing wrote.

While on paper these moves might not move the needle, that doesn’t mean the Red Sox can’t still contend in a wide-open American League. Sometimes the best moves could be the ones not made.

Breslow, though, understands why his fan base would be annoyed.

“I understand the frustration and disappointment,” Breslow said Thursday night. “There’s not a lot of sympathy for how hard we tried to get deals across the line, I understand that.

“We believe that we have a really young, exciting, talented team, and one that is capable of continuing to perform at this level and make it to the postseason, and that’s what our focus is on.”