The Boston Red Sox had a chance to rebound after the All-Star break. They climbed back into the division race and were only 6.5 games behind the New York Yankees just over a week ago. However, they lost their first six games since the break and are now 11 games back of the AL East lead.
And still, general manager Ben Cherington says the team is looking to upgrade before the trade deadline.
It's likely he's referring to the 2016 season and beyond.
"We're not where we want to be," Cherington told Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. "The last 10 days or so haven't gone well, not the way we wanted it to go. I don't think it changes anything in the big picture. We've still got to pursue things that are going to make us better and continue to try to build a good team ...
"We need to continue to improve our pitching, continue to find ways to get more out of guys here, look for potential upgrades outside the organization. I don't think that stops July 31."
Yes, pitching is a priority. It has been since April. Despite the changeover in pitching coaches back in May, the Red Sox still rank at the bottom of the MLB (28th) in team ERA (4.50) and starters' ERA (4.88). Clay Buchholz, their best starter, went down the Friday before the All-Star break with a flexor strain in his right elbow. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection on Wednesday, according to Edes, but his return is still unclear. So even with their best starter, their ERA was still one of the worst in the league.
Cherington also told Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com that the Red Sox need to improve their pitching and defense, as he expects the position player group to "continue to grow" although it "hasn't happened as quick as we thought or hoped it would this year." They could look to upgrade at first base and in left field because Mike Napoli, on top of having a bad year, will be a free agent after the season and Hanley Ramirez isn't exactly a model outfielder.
But the starting rotation may take precedent because it's clear the Sox need stability atop that unit. Philadelphia Phillies' ace Cole Hamels is still on their radar because Boston has the pieces to trade for him and the left-hander can be controlled through the 2019 season.
"The Red Sox can't be traditional sellers, because they don't have much to sell," writes ESPN's Jayson Stark, referring to Boston's involvement in the Hamels' talks. "But they've told other clubs they expect to be nontraditional buyers, no matter where they are in the standings, because they see this as a buying opportunity for pieces that could help them long-term -- especially at the top of their rotation."
So while 2015 is likely out of the question in terms of contending, Cherington obviously views this Red Sox lineup as a multi-year experiment. The odds of Rick Porcello and Wade Miley performing as poorly as they have this year are unlikely to be the case throughout the life of their contracts. Pablo Sandoval probably won't struggle at the plate in subsequent years either. The only toss up is Ramirez, who has been known to be inconsistent/prone to injury, but the Red Sox knew that when they signed him.
The Red Sox are not one of the top buyers at the deadline as there are many contenders looking to make a big splash before July 31, especially with all the top names that might be available. But keep an eye on Cherington to make some moves that aim to put the team in a good position for 2016 and beyond.