Boston Red Sox Rumors: 3 Twins players to target at the Trade Deadline

Boston Red Sox Trade Target No. 1: Byron Buxton

Admittedly this quite a far fetched trade idea, but if the Boston Red Sox really want to make a splash at the trade deadline, Byron Buxton may just be there for the taking. Reports have recently come out that Buxton is set to decline Minnesota’s latest extension offer, and teams around the league have gradually begun inquiring about his availability. Buxton has one more season of arbitration before becoming a free agent after the 2022 season.

Could Minnesota look to unload Buxton now rather than potentially lose him for nothing down the line? It seems unlikely, but if you may recall, the Red Sox did the same with Mookie Betts just last year. Albeit, the move took place during the offseason and not at the trade deadline, but you get the point.

Buxton has missed a ton of time with injuries this season, including his current stint on the injured list with a fractured hand, only further complicating a potential trade. But when he was on the field, he finally appeared the reach his massive potential as a five-tool player. He is hitting .369 on the season with 10 home runs and 19 runs batted in, all in just 27 games played.

If the Twins wanted to move Buxton, now would be the time. He has never played this good in his career, and at age 27, this is probably his peak value. Of course, being proactive and moving on from their stars in their prime is frowned upon in all sports, but Minnesota doesn’t exactly appear to be trending in the right direction right now.

Buxton would require quite a haul based on his performance so far, but Boston’s farm system is revamped, and they could probably put together a package for him if they wanted to. There would be a lot of work involved in making it happen, but that’s not to say it’s impossible from happening; just highly unlikely.

All in all, the Sox could probably make a splash for Buxton if they felt so inclined. He has the potential to be a five-tool player, and has shown to be capable of reaching his potential so far this season. There’s a lot of risk involved with a potential move, but for as valuable as Buxton is, his value is probably as low as it will be for a player who has put up his numbers so far this season, and this could be a move that cements Boston’s status as a legit World Series contender.