The personnel moves made by Chaim Bloom at the trade deadline did not sit well with the vast majority of fans, or even some Boston Red Sox players.
However, we must give back to Caesar what belongs to him: the only transaction that makes sense is that of Reese McGuire in return for Jake Diekman, following the departure of receiver Christian Vazquez.
It was a bit of a gamble since the former first-round pick was hitting .225 and a horrendous .546 OPS. But since moving to Massachusetts, McGuire is averaging .361 in batting average and .935 in OPS.
Plus, his defensive game adds to his current value, whether it’s taking down runners on the trails or blocking shots. And receivers coach Jason Varitek recognizes his contribution.
“He came here throwing the ball extremely well. He’s really good defensively. It is extremely precise. “
It remains to be seen if the receiver will be able to maintain the pace over a full season, but the principal concerned believes that playing more regularly can help him achieve this goal.
“I feel like in my career so far, every time I’ve been given the opportunity to play more regular playing time, I feel like that’s when where I am at my best. I think sometimes, as a player who doesn’t play all the time, if you’re more of a substitute and play every three or four days or so, it can be a bit more difficult. “
McGuire could certainly be a long-term solution behind the plate. However, Bloom has a lot more work to do to build a team that can hope for top honors.
