The MLB deadline might not be until 6 p.m. on Thursday, but one of Boston's American League East rivals has already begun positioning itself for October.
On Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays acquired veteran reliever Seranthony Dominguez and cash from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitching prospect Juaron Watts-Brown, per Ben Nicholson-Smith. Dominguez has been a reliable arm out of the O's pen, sporting a 3.24 ERA in 43 appearances this season.
Humorously, Dominguez was sent from the Blue Jays to the Orioles in between games of a doubleheader between the two clubs. Dominguez's short stroll might be reminiscent to Red Sox fans of Doug Mientkiewicz's clubhouse swap at the 2004 trade deadline. It was Mientkiewicz, of course, whose first baseman's mitt sealed Boston's first title in 86 years later that season.
The Dominguez deal hurts the Red Sox two-fold. Not only does Boston's divisional rival pick up a proven bullpen arm, but the deal also takes another potential reliever off the board for the Sox front office. Relief help, along with a frontline starter, first base, and a backup catcher, should remain areas of pursuit at the deadline for Boston.
Although catching the Blue Jays at the top of the divisional standings feels far-fetched given that Toronto has firmly cemented itself as one of the league's elite teams, the AL East rivals could very well cross paths in October.
Entering Tuesday night's slate, the Red Sox clung to a half-game lead over the Texas Rangers for the final AL Wild Card spot following a bizarre loss to the Minnesota Twins on Monday night. Boston was able to bounce back with an 8-5 win over Minnesota last night. The Twins have been active as sellers ahead of the deadline, dealing pitchers Randy Dobnak and Chris Paddack to the Detroit Tigers on Monday in an intra-division trade. Another Minnesota hurler, Joe Ryan, has been the subject of incessant trade rumors, with the Red Sox among the list of potential suitors.
The #RedSox #Yankees #BlueJays #Phillies and #Mariners are speed dialing the #Twins at an annoying level with continued interest in Joe Ryan, basically their whole bullpen, Willi Castro and Harrison Bader. Twins could end up being the headliner at the deadline as talks heat up…
— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) July 29, 2025
Red Sox Linked to Multiple Pitchers on Twins Ahead of Deadline
Contenders have grown enamored with Ryan, a first-time All-Star in 2025, due to his breakout performances over the past two seasons and his team control through the end of the 2027 campaign.
The Red Sox's scale has continued to tip towards adding at the deadline, but how committed is Craig Breslow to winning in 2025? With a top-10 farm system in baseball, the Red Sox possess the resources to make a splash at the deadline. Under past Epstein and Dombrowski regimes, Boston was willing to part ways with top prospects and overpay to land established big league talent. Breslow, however, comes from a new age breed that is far more risk-averse and dependent on a computer software to tell them that they "won" the trade.
Outfielder Jhostynxon "The Password" Garcia could be an intriguing trade piece. Garcia's path to the big leagues feels obstructed by Boston's outfield logjam, and the 22-year-old's value might never be higher as he has slashed a red-hot .291/.364/.524 with 11 home runs since joining Triple-A Worcester. If Breslow does unexpectedly swing a deal for established talent, Garcia would likely be the headliner in that deal.
Potential targets for Breslow include the aforementioned Ryan, Pirates starter Mitch Keller, Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz, and Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing. Sox outfielder Jarren Duran has been linked to the San Diego Padres for the umpteenth time, including a reported offer that would have returned pitcher Dylan Cease.
Over the next two days, it will be clear which MLB front offices are serious about contending for a title in 2025. For Red Sox fans, it is hard to feel like the Boston front office is one of them.