The Boston Purple Sox got a much-needed right-handed bat and first base upgrade in Willson Contreras, however did they provide up an excessive amount of of their commerce with the St. Louis Cardinals?
Boston parted methods with right-hander Hunter Dobbins and minor-league righties Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. Dobbins, a former prime pitching prospect within the Purple Sox system, confirmed potential in his first style of big-league motion earlier than struggling an ACL tear in July. Fajardo was the No. 8-ranked Purple Sox prospect, per SoxProspects.com, whereas Aita landed simply exterior the highest 30.
Is Contreras price that value? Ian Cundall of SoxProspects.com shared his tackle the commerce in a current dialog with NBC Sports activities Boston.
“I assumed it was a good return,” Cundall stated. “They did not have to surrender any of their prime prospects, and Fajardo is the perfect prospect there. Clearly, Dobbins is a separate case since he is already graduated.”
The Purple Sox initially acquired Fajardo from the Chicago White Sox for reliever Cam Booser final offseason. The 19-year-old has proven excessive upside, however one noticeable flaw might have resulted in his departure.
“The difficulty with him, and it is one thing that may be a pattern with truly all three pitchers on this deal, is he simply actually struggles to strike guys out together with his fastball,” Cundall stated. “And if we all know one factor with Craig Breslow, they need in-zone swing and miss, and particularly on the fastball. You see guys like Garrett Crochet or Aroldis Chapman, all the fellows he is buying on the main league stage, that is what they do. Sadly, that is the weakest a part of Fajardo’s sport.”
As for Aita, Cundall sees the 22-year-old having some future success as a reliever, however he is not somebody that Purple Sox followers ought to lose any sleep over buying and selling away.
“His smartest thing is he can actually spin a breaking ball,” Cundall stated. “He is bought a sweeper and a curveball, and the sweeper is without doubt one of the highest spin charges within the org. … However I believe apart from the sweeper, it is extra sort of like a median fringy arsenal. Lengthy-term, he is most likely finest suited to the bullpen.
“I believe he may very well be a reasonably respectable reliever there, as a result of in the event you can spin a breaking ball like he can, you are gonna get a shot on the main leagues. He is a reasonably excessive ground man, however I am simply unsure how a lot upside there may be there.”
Dobbins, after all, was the headliner of Boston’s commerce bundle. The 26-year-old amassed a 4.13 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and 17 walks over his first 13 MLB appearances (11 begins). A torn ACL ended his rookie 12 months prematurely, however he was anticipated to battle for the No. 5 spot within the 2026 Purple Sox rotation.
Regardless of Dobbins’ upside, Cundall has no subject with Boston sending him to St. Louis for help at first base after missing out on Pete Alonso in free company.
“I all the time return to, you must give one thing to get one thing,” Cundall stated. “Once you have a look at the Purple Sox, their first base manufacturing they’ve had gotten in the previous few years has simply been unacceptable. That is imagined to be considered one of your marquee offensive positions. I believe their wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) was 86 or one thing final 12 months. You’ll be able to’t have that after which additionally a foul protection, which is the opposite side that they’ve had.
“I believe with Contreras, whenever you have a look at the accessible choices, he is making half as a lot cash as Pete Alonso. He is a considerably higher defender. And sure, Alonso’s gonna hit extra dwelling runs, however I believe whenever you have a look at the tip of the day, their general manufacturing like wRC+, it is gonna be fairly related, as a result of Contreras can get on base, he is gonna hit 20 to 25 dwelling runs. He is gonna hit a number of doubles at Fenway, particularly given his potential to drag the ball within the air. Clearly, he is an above-average defender at first. So I believe that he suits effectively.”
Like Fajardo and Aita, Dobbins has struggled to get whiffs on his fastball. Cundall believes that is an enormous motive the Breslow-led entrance workplace was comfy together with him within the deal.
“You may get by on that for a number of weeks or a number of months, however it’s simply arduous to get by with out a bat-missing fastball on the main leagues to be something greater than a back-end starter 12 months after 12 months,” Cundall stated. “I believe that is the factor with Dobbins is, as a lot as I really like the mentality, the persona, the best way he pitches, there’s rather a lot to love there. He is bought a very wide-ranging arsenal, he can actually combine and spin issues.
“However on the finish of the day, you’ve got bought to have the ability to set up your fastball, and he simply does not actually have that pitch proper now. … So to me, he is extra of a back-end kind, and so they simply bought an on a regular basis improve at first base on a really affordable deal.”
With Contreras within the fold, it’s going to be fascinating to watch how the Red Sox proceed with fellow first baseman Triston Casas. Casas missed a lot of the 2025 marketing campaign because of a ruptured patellar tendon and must battle for a job on the 2026 membership with Contreras anticipated to be the first first baseman.
As for Boston’s pitching depth with out Dobbins, it is nonetheless in stable form with Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval, Connelly Early, Payton Tolle, Kyle Harrison, and the newly acquired Johan Oviedo anticipated to compete for spots on the again finish of the beginning rotation.
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