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When you were as bad at offense as the New York Mets were, any slight upgrade is not only noticeable, it is celebrated. 

That was the case when the team traded for Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson, players with limited offensive abilities but certainly no worse than what it already ran out there every day. But the next upgrade was major, and it looks to have completely transformed the Mets from a meek attack to one with the potential to be good.

Yoenis Cespedes is the reason.

When the Mets traded for him just before Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline, the expectation was he would bring an intimidating, powerful presence to the middle of the team’s batting order. The 29-year-old outfielder started fulfilling those expectations Monday night in a blowout win over the Miami Marlins.

Cespedes went 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. All three of his hits were doubles, which tied a franchise record for the most in one game. It also gave him 31 doubles for the season, tying him with Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis for the major league lead. Baseball blogger D.J. Short was impressed:

Three doubles for Cespedes tonight. Four RBI. Pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.

— D.J. Short (@djshort) August 4, 2015

And those doubles were no bloop jobs down the lines. They were scorched shots, two of which barely missed being home runs and tested the durability of the outfield wall at Marlins Park. They also showed why the man should be one of the most feared hitters in the National League for the next two months—and possibly next three.

It was Cespedes’ breakout game for the Mets, who acquired him from the Detroit Tigers for two pitching prospects. In two games over the weekend, Cespedes was 1-for-7 with a walk and a run scored. The Mets won both, though, to sweep the rival Washington Nationals, and with Monday’s win and Washington’s loss they are now in first place by a game. 

Everyone knew it was just a matter of time before Cespedes showed his worth. He was a power hitter with developing offensive skills for the Tigers, posting his best season with a .293/.323/.506 slash line, 18 home runs and a 126 OPS+.

A player who can provide that kind of production can have a tremendous impact in a short amount of time. And the Mets will only benefit with Uribe, Travis d’Arnaud, Lucas Duda and possibly even David Wright—who could start playing rehab games next week—all healthy and productive surrounding Cespedes in the lineup.

“Now you’ve got a major league lineup from 1 through 8, and that hasn’t always been the case for the Mets,” ESPN’s Pedro Gomez said on the network Monday. “And that could very well be doom for the Washington Nationals.”

Cespedes captured New York fans’ hearts in 2013 when he put on a stunning show in the Home Run Derby at Citi Field. His max-effort swing and flair are perfect for this Mets team, which is in need of both power and a star who is not a pitcher. MLB.com’s Michael Baron was still stunned at the team’s acquisition:

I still can’t believe the #Mets got Cespedes. I said that already tonight.

— Michael Baron (@michaelgbaron) August 4, 2015

That could lead to the Mets and their fans having a passionate love affair with Cespedes. The problem is it is almost certain to end after the season.

Normally a team that acquires a player in a contract year has a shot to re-sign him. But that is not the case with the Mets and Cespedes because his contract stipulates he must be released within five days of the World Series if he has not been re-signed. And per collective bargaining rules, a team that releases a player is not allowed to sign him as a free agent until May 15. Also, the team cannot make him a qualifying offer and reap a compensatory draft pick, another stipulation of his contract, although because he was traded during the season, the Mets would not have been allowed to do that anyway.

That makes it virtually impossible for the Mets to keep Cespedes long-term, which is the reason he came so cheaply. It also means that come this fall and winter the Mets will be in the same position they were in last offseason and last week—in need of an impact outfield bat.

But that is a problem for later. For now the Mets have gone from a completely one-dimensional team to something close to a complete one overnight. A week ago this was a club totally reliant on great starting pitching. It is now one that has to be respected across the board.

Even former rival and Mets nemesis Chipper Jones feels the momentum building fast:

Cespedes might be a short-term fix for the Mets, but the time he does have with them looks like it will be entirely enjoyable.

All quotes, unless otherwise specified, have been acquired firsthand by Anthony Witrado. Follow Anthony on Twitter and talk baseball here.

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The Seattle Mariners need a cleanup hitter. What position that hitter plays remains to be seen. The club was reportedly interested in shortstop Hanley Ramirez, but it lost out on the former Dodger when he signed with the Red Sox.

With Pablo Sandoval and Yasmany Tomas also off the board, the number of chairs is dwindling. The music isn’t close to ending, but the M’s list of potential targets is shrinking.

Seattle’s need for a middle-of-the-order bat happily coincides with the team’s need for a corner outfielder. The corner outfield spots are generally regarded as traditional power positions (and luckily for the M’s there are numerous possibilities).

Matt Kemp’s name has been trade-rumor fodder for months—if not the last year—due to a hefty contract, a slight decline in play and an overcrowded Dodger outfield.

Another trade option is Atlanta outfielder Justin Upton. The former Diamondback reportedly removed the M’s from his no-trade list, and Atlanta could be open to trading its star outfielder after sending Jason Heyward to St. Louis.

Seattle previously attempted to acquire Upton while he was in Arizona, but the outfielder vetoed a deal that would have involved Taijuan Walker and Nick Franklin (among others), per Larry Stone of The Seattle Times.

Like Kemp, Boston outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is part of an overcrowded outfield and could conceivably be dealt.

Should one of those three (or another trade target of their ilk) be acquired, he won’t come cheap. Each one of the three previously mentioned players comes from a team with specific needs.

Matt Kemp

Any trade conversation between the M’s and Dodgers must start with Los Angeles eating a majority of Kemp’s salary. While still a productive player, Kemp is not the player he was in 2011 when he finished runner-up in the MVP voting. The outfielder hit a good-but-not-great .287 last season.

As mentioned, the Dodgers lost Hanley Ramirez to Boston and thus are without a shortstop. The Mariners have two of these in youngsters Brad Miller and Chris Taylor. It’s unclear if Los Angeles would be interested in either. Surely it has a need at the position, but the two have only played in a combined 246 games. That kind of experience at a crucial position isn’t ideal for a team with major championship aspirations.

Los Angeles’ other glaring need is that of a starting pitcher. Former Colorado swing-man Juan Nicasio is slated to be the fifth starter in a rotation that features, among others, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. Nicasio posted a 5.38 ERA in 33 appearances (14 of which were starts) for Colorado in 2014. His career ERA is a smidgen smaller at 5.03.

Unless Nicasio posts improved numbers, the team will need better quality and pitching.

Seattle has plenty of intriguing prospects in its system, such as Tyler Pike and Danny Hultzen. However, with the Dodgers in need of pitching now, Roenis Elias could be in play. The rookie starter made the jump to the majors in 2014 and put up 10 wins and a 3.85 in 29 starts.

A package of Miller and Elias for Kemp and a lower-level prospect could get the deal done. The Dodgers will have to eat a good portion of Kemp’s salary in the swap, but the acquisition of two young players like Miller and Elias would probably mean the inclusion of a minor prospect on Los Angles’ part to even things out.

Justin Upton

While similar in terms of what they could provide the Mariners with, Upton and Kemp are very different in other areas—mainly age and salary. Upton is 27 to Kemp’s 30. In addition, Upton’s contract expires after 2015, while Kemp’s runs through 2019.

Judging by Upton’s comparatively favorable numbers—and the high price the Cardinals paid to acquire Jason Heyward—it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if the M’s had to pay a high price for Upton.

While not the same player he was when the M’s attempted to acquire him previously, Upton is still a player who can provide 30 home runs, 100 runs driven in and passable defense in the outfield.

Upton vetoed a previous deal to Seattle in which the Mariners would have parted with Nick Franklin, Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor and one of Taijuan Walker, James Paxton or Danny Hultzen.

The Mariners won’t have to give up nearly as much to acquire Upton this time around, but they’ll likely have to part with something of value.

The Braves, like the Dodgers, could use starting pitching. Even after acquiring Shelby Miller in the Heyward swap, the team could use extra starters. Aaron Harang and Ervin Santana could leave in free agency (and Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy are recovering from Tommy John surgery).

To acquire Upton, one of either James Paxton or Taijuan Walker is likely forfeit. Losing either of the two would hurt, but given the strength of the M’s pitching and dire need of a cleanup hitter, they could weather the loss.

Atlanta will also be in the market for a new outfielder if the team deals Upton, especially after dealing fellow outfielder Heyward for two pitchers. The M’s could offer Dustin Ackley or Michael Saunders in return. Saunders is rumored to be on the trade block.

In addition, Brad Miller could be used as additional trade bait. Atlanta could play him at second—until top prospect Jose Peraza is ready—and then slide Miller to third base long-term to take over for the aging Chris Johnson.

Upton will hit free agency after 2015, but the fact that he took the Mariners off of his trade list (which was the catching point in the 2013 deal not coming to fruition) suggests he’d be willing to play for the team. Should the M’s make the playoffs and/or make a deep run in 2015, Upton may be more inclined to stay than bolt when his contract expires.

Yoenis Cespedes

Thanks to a bevy of roster moves, Cespedes finds himself in an overcrowded Red Sox outfield that also features Rusney Castillo, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Brock Holt, Daniel Nava, Allen Craig and Shane Victorino.

The same quality depth cannot be found in the Red Sox’s rotation. Clay Buchholz is the veteran presence and ace. Meanwhile, spots two through five will be filled by some combination of Joe Kelly, Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, Anthony Ranaudo and Brandon Workman.

Because of this, one of Seattle’s starting pitchers will surely be involved in any potential trade. A straight swap of Walker or Paxton for Cespedes is plausible, but Cespedes has his warts and, like Upton, is a free agent after 2015.

Cespedes can hit for power—that much is certain—but he is far less of a complete player than someone like Upton or even Kemp. In any deal, Seattle’s brass has to accept the fact that Cespedes has warts—Cespedes’ OPS in 2014 was .751, just above Logan Morrison’s .735 number.

The former Athletics slugger’s numbers don’t suggest he is a player who commands a massive return, but given Boston’s depth in the outfield and its need of starting pitching, the Red Sox won’t just give him away. They’ll want the max return for their power-hitting outfielder.

He may not be the most hand-in-glove fit for the M’s, but Cespedes would cost one of Walker, Paxton or Hisashi Iwakuma. Losing any of the three would be a massive loss for Seattle, but that would likely be the cost of trading.

Whether it is Matt Kemp, Justin Upton or Yoenis Cespedes, the Mariners will be losing some valuable assets via trade. It’s the sad reality of the situation, but another reality is that if the M’s want to make a run in the playoffs in 2015, they’ll need a cleanup hitter.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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With Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez reportedly set to sign with the Boston Red Sox, per ESPN.com, the team addressed its hitting woes from a year ago. But with plenty of options in the outfield and needing other pieces elsewhere, namely starting pitching, the team is reportedly shopping Yoenis Cespedes.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports shared the report:

Another clue that the Red Sox may be shipping out Cespedes is what GM Ben Cherington said when introducing Hanley Ramirez to the club per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register:

Cespedes joined the Red Sox last season in the trade that sent Jon Lester to the Oakland Athletics. He hit .269 with five home runs and 33 RBI in 51 games with the club, finishing the season hitting .260 with 22 home runs and 100 RBI in 152 games between Boston and Oakland.    

Still, Cespedes is a year away from free agency and the Red Sox are loaded in the outfield. Ramirez will likely be moved to an outfield position to make room for young prospect Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, per the ESPN report. Meanwhile, the team still has Rusney Castillo, Mookie Betts, Shane Victorino, Allen Craig and Jackie Bradley Jr. as options in the outfield. 

Thus, Cespedes is a surplus to requirements and the team’s best trade chip. It’s hardly surprising the Red Sox are shopping him.  

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With the signing of Cuban Rusney Castillo, the Red Sox added even more talent to their outfield corps.

Already bursting at the seams, it seems inevitable that Boston will have to clear some of its outfield assets in the offseason in order to make all the pieces work.

Currently, the team’s outfield consists of Allen Craig, Mookie Betts and Yoenis Cespedes. Boston also has Daniel Nava, Brock Holt, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Shane Victorino in the mix for outfield time, and all have strong cases to start.

We already know that Castillo is essentially guaranteed a starting spot in the outfield in 2015. After all, why would the club have signed a seven-year, $72.5 million deal with the 27-year-old if the end goal wasn’t to have Castillo patrolling center field for Boston?

Past that, how free agency plays out and what trades the Red Sox make will go a long way toward dictating who opens 2015 alongside Castillo in left and right field…and that includes Yoenis Cespedes, Boston’s high-profile acquisition at the trade deadline. It’s entirely possible the team could turn around and swap the former Athletic in the winter.

Before discussing Cespedes, let’s run through his competitors for other outfield spots:

Mookie Betts

Betts is Boston’s top prospect, according to SoxProspects.com. However, Betts is just 21 years old and his exposure to the majors in the early going shows that he might benefit from more minors seasoning. While Betts’ .254/.338/.365 line through 20 games is nothing to sneeze at, he hasn’t shown definitively that he belongs in Boston. Further, given the struggles of fellow 21-year-old Xander Bogaerts, the Red Sox might elect to be more cautious with Betts.

Additionally, Betts was moved to the outfield this season to address what was at the time a shortage in outfielders. That’s no longer the case, so Betts could move back to the infield and feasibly compete for the third-base job. Finally, if the Red Sox pull off a blockbuster deal for a pitcher in the winter, such as for Cole Hamels, Betts could be part of the trade package.

Jackie Bradley Jr.

Bradley spent much of 2014 as the starting center fielder but just could not get his offense in gear and is considered the most disappointing prospect in the game, according to a poll conducted by Grantland’s Ben Lindbergh. He was recently demoted to Triple-A after putting together a .216/.288/.290 line, and his role in 2015 is a big question.

Bradley is an elite center fielder, notching 14 defensive runs saved (definition per FanGraphs), which places second in the major leagues. His defense is meaningless without a quality bat, and he has done enough damage to his stock that chances are the 24-year-old is ticketed for Triple-A in 2015 or as no more than a backup outfielder with the major league squad.

Garin Cecchini

Cecchini is a third baseman who has been seeing time in left field as well in 2014. The move to left was in part to help Boston give playing time to other infielders in the minors, but also as a result of Cecchini‘s own struggles defensively. He may not be a third baseman long-term, and Red Sox manager John Farrell has already said that Cecchini‘s poor play at third has factored into his continued stay in Triple-A, per Tim Britton of The Providence Journal.

Given the depth in the outfield and his unexciting bat—which has led him to a .257/.336/.367 line in Triple-A—he’s not a serious candidate for playing time in the outfield. More than likely, he’ll compete for the third-base job or return to Triple-A in 2015.

Allen Craig

Craig is struggling through a career-worst season, but he was the cleanup hitter on the 2013 NL champion St. Louis Cardinals. While Craig could be flipped in the winter via trade, it’s hard to imagine Boston giving up John Lackey to get Craig (along with starting pitcher Joe Kelly) only to turn around and trade Craig coming off a poor season. Kelly plus a discounted return on Craig in exchange for Lackey doesn’t make sense. The club could also shift Craig to first base and deal Mike Napoli.

Brock Holt

While Holt took the league by storm and has given the Red Sox tremendous flexibility with his ability to play multiple positions, the bloom has come off the rose somewhat for the 26-year-old. Holt entered the All-Star Break hitting .327/.371/.463, which translates to am .834 OPS. However, that OPS has fallen significantly since the All-Star Break. Holt’s line post-break is .224/.291/.266, which gives him a .557 OPS and puts him on the level of Jackie Bradley Jr. as far as offensive futility.

Prior to his breakout in the first half, Holt was considered a backup player, and that remains his most likely outcome. Holt should nonetheless be considered the favorite to play third base next season in a competition that’s shaping up to include Will Middlebrooks, Betts and Cecchini.

Daniel Nava

While Nava was extraordinarily valuable to Boston in 2013 as a platoon bat that faced off against right-handers, he seems to have lost his cachet with the club this season. A year after hitting .303/.385/.445, he started off the season in a slump and was sent to Triple-A Pawtucket for his troubles. Stuck down there in part because of a game of numbers, Nava has hit .297/.370/.359 since his return.

While he’s been getting at-bats regularly since the trade deadline, his participation in Red Sox games will drop now that Craig is off the disabled list, freezing him out of regular time in the outfield. It’s even possible the 31-year-old is moved before September, as The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo linked the Tigers and Pirates to Nava‘s services.

Shane Victorino

The Flyin‘ Hawaiian is out for the season after requiring back surgery. He appeared in just 30 games all season. Victorino is under contract for 2015, but it’s difficult to see him playing ahead of Craig, Castillo or Cespedes, making him a high-priced backup player unless Craig or someone else is traded.

After covering all these players, we can safely eliminate Bradley, Cecchini, Holt and Nava from consideration for 2015 starting spots. Given the outfield’s abundance of quality depth, these players will struggle for playing time. That leaves Betts, Craig and Victorino competing with Cespedes for the right to fill the outfield around Castillo. 

Out of all these players, Cespedes is the biggest certainty to man an outfield spot for Boston in 2015.

Why would the Red Sox have asked for Yoenis Cespedes in return for Jon Lester if they were going to flip Cespedes in the winter? The Red Sox would have been better off chasing a different return for Lester over acquiring Cespedes, who has won the past two Home Run Derbies.

Cespedes gives the Red Sox a well-proven power supply, whereas no one knows what type of thump Castillo will contribute. Castillo reportedly wowed scouts with his increased power as he was putting on showcases for major league teams in advance of his signing, as Ben Badler of Baseball America writes. Will that translate to more than 20 home runs with the Red Sox? No one knows.

Just like no one knows whether Craig can bounce back from his poor season and rediscover his power. Betts, meanwhile, could be included in a blockbuster deal, moved to third base or sent back to Triple-A. In short, there’s no reason why Betts should play over Cespedes.

The Red Sox need power. That was the whole motivation behind trading for Cespedes to shore up an outfield devoid of sluggers. Prior to the arrival of Cespedes, Red Sox outfielders had combined for 14 home runs on the season, while Cespedes had 17 himself.

While Castillo and Cespedes will co-exist nicely in 2015, it’s the year after that’s the real question as Cespedes will be a free agent.

While Castillo can play center, he spent most of his career in Cuba in right field. Given that the Red Sox always seek to have two center fielders on the team, as GM Ben Cherington tells The Boston Globe, it’s possible that the Red Sox view Castillo as a right-fielder long-term if Bradley can rebound with the bat or Betts finds his permanent home in center field.

Right now, the splash that the Red Sox made signing Castillo won’t affect Cespedes at all, as the two should anchor the outfield in 2015. Beyond that, having Castillo under contract may make it easier for Boston to let Cespedes, who will be 30 for the 2016 season, depart and sign a big-money deal elsewhere.

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The Boston Red Sox continued their radical new approach to rebuilding on Saturday, announcing the signing of Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo to a seven-year Major League Baseball contract—reportedly worth $72.5 million—that begins in 2014.

Castillo rumors have swirled around Twitter and all parts of the Internet for weeks now. The Sox apparently outbid the Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies— among other teams—for Castillo’s services, adding another talented outfielder who should improve Boston’s major league team in short order.

The signing will have a significant effect on Boston’s lineup in 2015 and beyond, leaving the Red Sox with some interesting roster decisions to make this offseason. But the addition of Castillo is yet another sign that the Red Sox aren’t following the traditional path to rebuilding we’ve seen teams like the Cubs, Astros and Marlins use in recent years.

Instead of stockpiling prospects and completely tearing down their roster, Ben Cherington saw a weakness—a lack of power and overall productivity from the lineup—and has addressed it in short order. That means the Sox could be competitive again as soon as next season.

In the past month, Boston has added Castillo, Yoenis Cespedes and Allen Craig to its offense, building the foundation for what should once again be a fearsome lineup in 2015. A year ago, the Red Sox had the best offense in baseball. This year, they rank 27th. Next season, the turnaround could be just as dramatic, but in a positive way.

Yes, the Sox will need to do substantial work on their starting rotation this offseason, and the bullpen could use some bolstering as well. Fortunately, with an average annual value of just $10.36 million, according to WEEI.com’s Alex Speier, Castillo’s contract shouldn’t prevent the Sox from being major players in free agency.

And aside from potentially looking into some help at third base, the Sox won’t need to burn money on any hitters. With the addition of Castillo, the lineup for next year looks fairly set.

Most expect the 27-year-old Cuban to play center field for Boston next year, and his skill set is one that suggests he could lead off as well. Castillo hit .319/.383/.516 with 51 homers and 76 steals in five seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, but projects to hit for more power in the majors after adding 20 pounds of muscle to his now-chiseled frame.

Castillo should be flanked by Cespedes in right field and some combination of Allen Craig and Daniel Nava in left field, providing Boston with plenty of offense from the outfield. Shane Victorino should factor into the picture as well, but it would be unwise to count on him for any sort of meaningful contribution as he’ll be coming off a lost year and back surgery.

The Red Sox, of course, already had at least two younger options for center field in Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. There’s an excellent chance that at least one of these players—more likely Betts—could be dealt this winter for some pitching help.

But even if the Red Sox do keep all seven of their outfield options, there’s no long-term logjam, despite how it may seem. Cespedes, Victorino and Mike Napoli are all free agents after the 2015 season, meaning there will be a lot more space for playing time in 2016.

Odds are the Sox will try to extend Cespedes, but as we saw with Lester, that in and of itself isn’t a guarantee that a deal will be completed.

The Sox must also consider that, despite his phenomenal performance this season, David Ortiz is mortal. By the time 2016 rolls around, Boston could very well be in need of a new DH for the first time in more than a decade.

Projecting the lineup that far down the road is a fool’s errand, but it’s a positive that the Sox will have the likes of Castillo, Betts, Bradley, Nava and Craig all still under control in 2016 if none of them are dealt. Such depth also protects them from initial struggles from Castillo, as he very well could take longer to assimilate to MLB pitching than did fellow Cubans such as Cespedes, Yasiel Puig and Jose Abreu.

The Red Sox still face a long road if they want to return to relevancy in 2015. After all, the team is just 56-72, and while they have some promising pieces in place, they still need a revamped pitching staff and improved performance from many of their younger players.

But there’s genuine reason for optimism when it comes to 2015 and beyond, and Castillo is a big part of the reason why. If the Sox are truly able to go from worst to first to worst to first once again, Cherington very well may have created the new blueprint for teams who look to reload rather than rebuild.

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Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has made quite an impression on Red Sox Nation since he was acquired nearly a month ago for ace Jon Lester.

On Saturday afternoon, he continued to add to his resume.

Cespedes showed off his cannon, yet again, by gunning out the Mariners’ Kyle Seager at home plate.

This comes just days after he threw out Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton on a rope.

Memo to the MLB: Don’t run on Yoenis.

[MLB]

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The latest Cuban star has found a new MLB home.

Rusney Castillo has agreed to a deal with the Boston Red Sox, as first reported by William Perez Villalba of Glorias del Beisbol Cubano. Already, there are differing reports on just how good the outfielder will be.

There has also been plenty of action on the diamond. The Oakland Athletics are learning all about life without Yoenis Cespedes, and how the 28-year-old’s impact went far beyond the numbers. Plus, in the East, one club enjoyed a historic week and cemented its status as the team to beat in the National League.

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Yoenis Cespedes has wasted no time making his presence felt as a member of the Boston Red Sox.

The powerful outfielder has just 47 plate appearances under his belt for the Red Sox, and it’s true his .239/.255/.435 line might not look terribly impressive. But Cespedes has already shown a flare for the dramatic, hitting back-to-back, go-ahead eighth-inning homers earlier this week. It’s not a coincidence that the Red Sox are 7-5 since they traded for Cespedes at the deadline.

In Cespedes, the Sox have a legitimate right-handed power hitter who lengthens the middle of their lineup. The trio of David Ortiz, Cespedes and Mike Napoli batting third, fourth and fifth, respectively, is a daunting proposition for opposing pitchers. Similarly, the combination of Cespedes and Jackie Bradley Jr. patrolling the outfield puts opposing baserunners on notice.

In short, Cespedes is the most athletic, toolsiest player the Red Sox have in their organization right now, and while the cost to acquire him was steep, he adds some much-needed offensive upside to a team that’s scored the fifth-fewest runs in the game this year.

For all these reasons and more, the Red Sox should take a long, hard look at extending Cespedes beyond 2015, as they look to fill one of the few long-term gaps their farm system has been unable to plug.

Right-handed power is one of the rarer commodities in the game today. Last year, only seven right-handed hitters hit 30 or more home runs, and only 10 more righties hit between 25-29 homers. Cespedes was one such batter, of course, mashing 26 homers despite the pitcher-friendly confines of O.Co Coliseum in Oakland.

Before the trade for Cespedes, the Red Sox didn’t have a reliable source of right-handed power other than Napoli, who’s suffered through myriad injuries this season. Xander Bogaerts and Will Middlebrooks have power potential, but they’ve yet to demonstrate the ability to turn that potential into results at the MLB level.

Even if we extend our parameters of the search for power to left-handers, Boston was fairly unimpressive this season. Including David Ortiz’ 26 bombs, the Sox have just 89 homers on the year, good for the fifth-lowest total in the league.

And despite all the talent in the Red Sox farm system, this is an organization that (with Bogaerts now graduated) lacks a true power hitter in its ranks who figures to see the majors over the next few years.

Mookie Betts and Blake Swihart profile as above-average offensive players, but power isn’t a calling card for either. Deven Marrero’s value lies in his defense, Manny Margot is more of a well-rounded talent than a power threat, and Garin Cecchini’s inability to hit for power has been well documented.

The best power-hitting prospect in Boston’s system is probably Rafael Devers, who, as a 17-year-old in rookie ball, is at least three seasons away from making an impact at Fenway.

Extending Cespedes would give the Sox a power-hitting cornerstone in the middle of their lineup to rely upon beyond 2015, when Napoli is slated to become a free agent and when Ortiz will be over 40. Quite simply, he’s a source of dependable power that Boston hasn’t been able to replicate through its minor league system.

The free-agent market doesn’t figure to be much more fruitful in producing power hitters, either. Fewer marquee players are reaching free agency in today’s game, as the game’s economics dictate that locking up young, productive players is the safer bet. There are exceptions, of course, but free agents today generally consist of role players or players who are well past their 30th birthdays.

For example, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the premier right-handed outfielders in the 2015 free-agent class include Nelson Cruz, Mike Morse, Michael Cuddyer, Josh Willingham and Torii Hunter. These players have their uses, but none can match Cespedes‘ upside or all-around ability to impact a game.

It’s similarly difficult to find talent like Cespedes available on the trading block. The Giancarlo Stanton pipe dream aside, there aren’t many right-handed slugging outfielders available for the Red Sox to try and pry away. The Blue Jays aren’t trading Jose Bautista. The Orioles aren’t trading Adam Jones. The Braves aren’t trading Justin Upton. And, oddly enough, the Angels aren’t trading Mike Trout.

If we engage in pure speculation, there are a few outfield talents, right-handed or otherwise, who could be available. The Rockies could look to move Carlos Gonzalez. The Reds could move Jay Bruce. The Nats could move Jayson Werth or Ryan Zimmerman. And yes, it’s within the realm of possibility that the Marlins move Stanton, too.

But why give up a bevy of prospects for one of these players—if said players are available at all—when all it takes to lock down Cespedes now is some measure of financial flexibility?

Earlier this week, WEEI.com’s Alex Speier took a look at what a Cespedes contract extension might look like, using a variety of recent free-agent contracts and extensions to give us an idea as to what Cespedes might earn.

On the low end of the spectrum, Speier references the four-year, $48 million agreement Nick Swisher reached with the Indians and the four-year, $60 million agreement Curtis Granderson reached with the Mets.

On the high end, Speier mentions the five-year, $75 million contract signed by B.J. Upton, and the five-year, $90 million extension signed by Hunter Pence.

An extension for Cespedes may very well fall closer to the Pence side of the equation than the Granderson side. But it’s not so crazy to think that Cespedes could be worth a deal that pays him between $17 and $18 million a year.

Plus, even if Cespedes doesn’t fully live up to his contract, the Sox can afford to take somewhat of a financial hit. Dustin Pedroia represents their only significant financial investment beyond 2015, and the organization has done well to avoid the shackles that come with giving out seven- or eight-year deals to hitters and five- or six-year deals to pitchers. 

By locking up Cespedes to a four- or five-year deal sometime between now and next April, the Red Sox will assure themselves of having the services of one of the better right-handed power hitters in the game for the next half-decade. Given the dearth of right-handed power in the game right now and Boston’s financial flexibility, it’s a move they should make.

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Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane is tired of his team being “one-and-done” in the playoffs.

The A’s have been to the postseason seven times during Beane’s 17-year tenure, but they reached the American League Championship Series just once. More recently, the A’s have won the American League West in each of the last two seasons only to lose to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Division Series.

This year, however, Oakland officially is “all-in.” And based on Beane‘s aggressive trades over the last month, he surely will be disappointed if the A’s season concludes with anything less than a World Series title.

Beane bookended the month of July with blockbuster trades for a pair of front-line starting pitchers, acquiring Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Chicago Cubs on July 5 and then Jon Lester (and Jonny Gomes) from the Boston Red Sox hours before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

However, the A’s were forced to part with big pieces of the future in both trades.

To land Samardzija and Hammel, Beane traded a pair of highly touted prospects in shortstop Addison Russell and outfielder Billy McKinney, the team’s respective first-round draft picks from 2012 and 2013, as well as right-hander Dan Straily. Meanwhile, the opportunity to acquire both Lester and Gomes pushed Beane to trade All-Star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who previously was viewed as a main cog in the A’s future success.

Yet, for Beane, that was a small price to pay for a chance to win a World Series in 2014.

“We have a team that can win right now,” Beane said earlier this month, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today. “Just collecting young players is not something in our marketplace we can do.”

In general, both trades came as a complete surprise—at least to those outside the organization. Beane has a history of making blockbuster deals, but none of them involved the acquisition of “rental” players such as Lester and Hammel, both of whom will hit the open market after the season. Samardzija is at least under team control through 2015.

However, a closer look at Beane’s recent trade history suggests we should have seen these types of deals coming, as they represent the next logical steps for the A’s in their pursuit of a World Series.

After enduring a five-year playoff drought from 2007 to 2011, the A’s sneaked into the postseason in 2012 with a dramatic sweep of the Texas Rangers in the final series of the regular season. That taste of success—as well as the subsequent anguish of losing to the Tigers in a hard-fought ALDS—convinced Beane that he had a special team on his hands, a team with considerable room left to improve.

However, instead of targeting pricey free agents during the offseason, Beane capitalized on a leaguewide overvaluation of prospects and used the organization’s farm system to secure major league assets.

In fact, he went so far as to trade away a majority of the organization’s top-ranked prospects (as determined by Baseball America at the time of the trades), choosing to play the odds and not to buy into his young players’ long-term potential in the major leagues.

It goes without saying that the A’s would not be chasing their third consecutive AL West title this season if not for the returns in those trades.

R.J. Anderson of Baseball Prospectus (subscription required) explored Beane’s approach to prospects back in May:

The timing also provides a good spot to acknowledge an obvious truth: prospects can see their stock change in a hurry. The A’s had enough firsthand experience with the traded prospects by this point to determine whether they were overvalued by other teams; self-evaluation, such an underrated skill for front offices to possess, might have spurred the moves.

But no one can say for sure, and there are other potential explanations: maybe Beane (correctly) foresaw the AL West being more open than anyone anticipated, or maybe this was just an extension of the A’s longstanding strategy to push for the postseason.

And that brings us to Cespedes.

With the sixth-lowest payroll among all 30 teams (as of Opening Day) and a farm system that now ranks 28th overall after losing Russell and McKinney, the 2014 season will likely be the A’s last chance at winning a World Series for the next three to five years.

In previous years, Beane would have traded a young pitcher or two from depth in exchange for prospects, which then could be used to acquire a more established arm. However, Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin’s respective elbow injuries early in the spring made that impossible. Therefore, Cespedes represented Beane’s best chance at landing an ace before the deadline.

The 28-year-old outfielder, who’s in the third year of a four-year, $36 million contract, will become a free agent after the 2015 season, and by then he’ll be well out of Oakland’s spending range given the perpetual market for right-handed power.

Plus, as Anderson posited in regard to prospects, the team’s firsthand experience with Cespedes over the last two-and-half seasons surely played a key role in Beane’s decision to trade him Thursday.

On paper, Cespedes has come nowhere close to matching his 2012 production as a rookie, when he batted .292/.356/.505 with 23 home runs, good for a 137 wRC+ and 2.9 fWAR, via FanGraphs. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see him eclipsing a 3.0 WAR if he hasn’t already. Cespedes’ only redeeming quality is his .208 career ISO, but beyond that, his production has tapered off across the board.

For Beane, the philosophy behind trading Cespedes at the deadline for a two-plus-month rental of Lester wasn’t any different than his philosophy behind dealing Russell and McKinney for Samardzija; all-in means all-in.

With the A’s window of opportunity closing quickly, Beane jumped at the chance to turn his team into a legitimate World Series contender, knowing that the organization wouldn’t be any worse off moving forward regardless of how the 2014 season unfolded.

Obviously, any number of things could transpire between now and the end of the regular season, but there’s no question that Beane’s blockbuster trades in July have the A’s primed for a deep run into the postseason.

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Not that the Oakland Athletics needed more good vibes in 2014, ending the first half with the best record in Major League Baseball and acquiring Jeff Samardzija before the All-Star break, but Yoenis Cespedes‘ performance in the Home Run Derby signals another dynamic shift in their season.

The A’s slugger started off slow during Monday’s event, with just three homers in the first round.

He then got stronger as the night went on by hitting 16 homers over the next two rounds before clubbing nine in the final round to beat Todd Frazier, who could muster just one in the finals.

Cespedes also had fun with the event, taking to Twitter to tell his competitors that the crown wasn’t going to be taken away easily:

In many ways, Cespedes‘ Derby performance was the perfect metaphor for what awaits this season. The slow start is indicative of what happened to the 28-year-old in the first three months this year, posting a .246/.299/.442 slash line.

Now, though, with the big basher finding his groove under the spotlight at the All-Star festivities, the A’s have no reason to expect anything less than a stellar showing once the real games resume on Friday.

In fact, if you look at Cespedes‘ performance in the first half this year compared to last year—when he won his first Derby title—the similarities are striking:

The difference is Cespedes missed time last year with a hand injury, so the slow start was easy to justify. This year, it just so happens that the Cuban star hasn’t found a groove in the box. He’s been all over the map, with FanGraphs indicating that his OPS (on-base plus slugging) totals were over .830 in April and June but under .770 in May and July.

Even though injuries continued to plague Cespedes in the second half last year, he still managed to slug .473 with 11 home runs in 56 games, leading Oakland to its second consecutive playoff berth.

With no health problems slowing him down this year, Cespedes is ready to attack the second half like he started the season.

The myth of the Home Run Derby is that it can ruin a player’s swing, but someone like Cespedes can benefit from getting into that groove. He’s never been a patient hitter who will sit back on a pitch, so attacking the ball is nothing new to him.

When you swing as much as Cespedes does, finding the right groove is critical to succeeding.

The A’s aren’t hurting for offense, ranking second in runs scored, but if the big bat in the middle of the order comes through, imagine how difficult this team will be to defeat in the second half.

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter @adamwells1985.

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