Red Sox Trade Rumors: Rick Porcello, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Available

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly listening to trade offers for shortstop Xander Bogaerts, outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and starting pitcher Rick Porcello.

On Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Red Sox are willing to move those players to create the financial flexibility to upgrade their bullpen.

Bogaerts is coming off his most complete offensive season, having posted an .883 OPS and 23 home runs across 136 appearances. He struggled in the field, however, ranking last among all qualified shortstops with minus-19 defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs.

His improvement at the plate could still allow him to receive a sizable raise from his $7.1 million salary last season in his final year of arbitration.

Bradley posted a mundane .234/.314/.403 line with 17 stolen bases and 13 homers this past season. His best year came in 2016 when he finished with an .835 OPS and 26 long balls. He's got two years left of arbitration after he made $6.1 million in 2018.

Porcello has faded since he won the 2016 AL Cy Young Award. He compiled a 4.65 ERA in 2017 and a 4.28 mark this past season. Those lackluster stats combined with his $21.1 million salary in 2019 in the last year of his four-year, $82.5 million contract make it tough to envision that the Red Sox can find a suitor.

Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was asked Monday whether he'd enter next season without an established closer on the roster.

"Well, it's a risk, there's no question. I can't say that it's not, but it's a 162-game season also," he told reporters. "But is it a risk worth taking, we think is worth taking? Yes, if it comes down to it."

Pitchers with the experience or budding ability to pitch late in games rarely come cheap, which is why the Red Sox likely need to make a move or two to create space for a high-end closer.

Bradley makes the most sense of the names mentioned, since Mookie Betts or Andrew Benintendi can shift to center while the Red Sox then use a committee possibly including Steve Pearce, Brock Holt and Rusney Castillo to fill the void in the corner outfield.

It would likely be more of a salary dump than a trade where Boston could receive meaningful assets in return, though.