Are the Red Sox trying to win this year?

Speaking of winning this year, it looks like MLB will be expanding the playoffs for the 2020 season only. It looks like more than half the teams, 16 to be exact, will make the playoffs this year.

Three division winners with 5 wild cards in each league.

So if the Sox manage to finish around .500 they will probably make the playoffs.

We actually have a real chance of seeing a sub-.500 team make the playoffs and win the World Series in 2020!

weei.radio.com/blogs/scott-mclaughlin/red-sox-playoff-chances-increase-with-expanded-postseason

Yes. A .500 record likely makes the playoffs this year. Plus the shorter season, who knows what will happen...

I think they are trying to win, which is unfortunate because they just can't with their dumpster fire of a pitching staff. I think if you're being realistic about the team you have, the length of the season, and the level of competition you'd have to go through to even make the playoffs, let alone take this team through them successfully. If/when that is the case, I'd rather see this team tank for a top 5(?)-10 draft pick. They desperately need some blue chip talent in this system, and this is a season where you have nearly infinite excuses built in as to why you can't compete (Sale out, Rodriguez with COVID and complications, a 4 month layoff being the cause of X player who underperforms struggles, etc...) End of the day, the chances of winning it all this season are slim to none, and my view on that scenario is that it sucks both ways to be in the middle of the pack. Last season the Red Sox didn't even make the playoffs, and then come draft season they picked 17th, not exactly a spot where you're going to have a large selection of blue chippers to consider. If you're not going to be great this season, be terrible.

We'll know at the trade deadline, when they ship off Jackie Bradley Jr. for prospects. I think Bloom is clear eyed enough to know that making the playoffs this year is both unlikely, but also not that valuable. Seeing the dumpster fire of the pitching staff and its pipeline, Bloom must know this is a pretty solid tear down. Just jettisoning Betts is one prong of getting under the cap, but this is his chance to build a new core around Bogaerts and Devers (and Benintendi). There probably wont be another core guy through the system (maybe Casas/Verdungo), but guys like Downs and others are adding needed depth. Then, in 2021, with or after the new CBA and after the Covid financial impact is clearer, the Sox are well poised to grab an elite guy in his prime if the market has stabilized away from 13 year commitments -- a Soto, Acuna or Bellinger, or even the second group of guys like Tatis, Jimenez or Robles (ignoring pitchers, who are also on the market) -- from teams taht have wedged themselves into salary problems. Frankly, with either the existing CBA cap, or even a practical post-Covid finances cap, teams are going to be limited, and I suspect the market for these guys will be at or less than the Betts, previous market Harper/Trout sort of deals.

That is a long way of saying that I suspect Bloom sees this as the perfect punt year, and rather than "going for it" to make the playoffs, he'll be a seller. With an eye toward building a team 2022-2028.

Winning a slugfest would be a better plan if you didn’t trade your best hitter.

I do think this is the perfect punt year.

The pitching is awful. Purely awful.

To construct a scenario where the Red Sox can "do damage" in the playoffs, you need a healthy E-Rod and from what I'm reading re: his covid 19 related complications, in my non-expert opinion he'd be better off sitting out the year. I wouldn't mess around with anything that can affect the heart.

If guys like Weber, Godley, Perez, and Covey want to do a 1990 impersonation of Greg Harris, Tom Bolton, and Dana Kiecker for 60 games, fine, but the odds are really against it.

And it's not like the bullpen is special or that the offense is that particularly deep to make up for their pitching deficiencies, I suspect that even with the expanded playoffs the Sox will be on the outside looking in.

Honestly given where, they're at and in this situation, it really wouldn't bother me. This is the worst roster they've had in some time. A lot of these pitchers are never-will-be types. I say take their lumps, draft well, spend smartly, and proceed into the future.

At this point I'm just glad there's baseball even if it doesn't turn out to be quality baseball.

I guess I don’t know what this means. The team they have constructed would need a miracle to win. So to field a competitive team, they have to upgrade. Should they? Or do they stand pat, hope for that miracle (and see if they can upgrade later)? That’s fine, and seems the most likely path. Or do you start planning to dump ASAP. That is my path. This team is not good, and there are no easy enough fixes that make it worth hanging on to most of their players. Figure X and Devers are pretty much the only everyday guys on the main roster I’d not be extremely open to selling whenever I could for the appropriate return. Maaaaybe ERod on the staff.

I would hate to see them make any short-term moves for this season with this pitching.

There's a strong likelihood they're still going to have one of the top handful of offenses in the game, especially if they get good Benintendi and JBJ, and 16 teams are going to make the playoffs. This year, this is a competitive team.

And again, yes the pitching staff sucks right now. It's going to look different in like 5 days, never mind in two weeks if the COVID guys get back. No, it won't be in the top half of staffs in baseball probably, but it's not like it's going to be historically bad for the whole year unless there's even more calamity than the bad luck they've already had.

The 2020 HS and college seasons didn't happen but I think there's a good chance the 2021 HS and college seasons will be played. 

On you second point here, I thought the same thing until a couple of weeks ago. Now I'm not so sure. Teams that trade for a veteran at the July 31 deadline (conventional season) are looking for that player to help them go deep into the PS. Teams that trade for a veteran at this year's deadline will want the same thing. 

The prospect of getting one month, instead of two, out of a FA-to-be guy shouldn't make him a less attractive acquisition.   

I hope I'm right on this and we get the raking version of JBJ through the deadline. He could be a decent get for a contending team. We might get a top 80 prospect for him. Getting a return like that for him and for BWM, plus locking in a top 10 pick in next year's draft, would be immensely helpful to getting this team back to the top of the division once the payroll constraints start to ease.

Arauz, Munoz, Covey, Gonsalves all appear to me to be the kind of freebee pickups you take on when you are rebuilding for the future. Veterans who used to be good are the kind that you go for when you are building for the current year.

There's a definite difference between DD and Bloom here.

With two more roster reductions over the next 30 days, coupled with the increased playoff teams, this could be a unique bonanza approach that won't be available at any other time.

No idea what teams would value on a shortened season that could end abruptly.

My guesses?

JD Martinez (if indication he's going to opt out and get an unrealistic contract)
JBJ (scorching hot right now and I believe in the last year?)
Kevin Pillar
Martin Perez (as if anyone would want him)
Matt Barnes
Brandon Workman
Really, any reliever

I mean, I could see Benintendi or Verdugo being moved if there's a young, promising pitcher to be had.