Boston’s World Series title defense hasn’t gone quite as anyone anticipated, as the Red Sox have been outscored by the opposition and sit with a losing record on the outskirts of the playoff picture in the American League.
But the club remains within striking distance of a postseason berth, and between the talent level of the active roster and a deep minor league system with quality prospects at nearly every level is a team you simply cannot count out of contention at the beginning of July.
That said, the Red Sox could be buyers or sellers as the trade deadline draws near.
General manager Ben Cherington could look to fill some of the holes on the roster with an eye toward making a run at a wide-open AL East, or he could look to sell off some of his veteran pieces (starter Jake Peavy, for example) and retool on the fly with an eye toward reclaiming the division in 2015.
Whatever the Red Sox wind up doing, you can be sure the rumor mill will be spinning furiously as reports come out about the goings-on in Beantown.
Keep it here for the most up-to-the-minute rumblings about the Red Sox along with analysis and everything else that comes with it.
While the post date will always show as July 1, simply click to the next slide to see the latest from the rumor mill as Boston tries to figure out exactly what it is.