The Boston Red Sox have made two of the biggest splashes of the offseason so far by signing Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, and the only thing we know for sure is that they aren't done. With potentially nine major league outfielders on the roster and a rotation that might currently feature Wally the Green Monster as the second best starting pitcher after the inconsistent Clay Buchholz, it's clear that a talented-yet-lopsided roster still needs some work.
More than likely, that's going to mean trading an outfielder. Maybe that will be Allen Craig or Daniel Nava or Jackie Bradley Jr., but the name that keeps popping up in rumors most often is Yoenis Cespedes, with the idea being that he's be an attractive name and an established big leaguer who can help Boston land a badly needed pitcher. With Ramirez likely landing in left field and the trio of Rusney Castillo, Mookie Betts and Shane Victorino probably manning center and right, in some combination, Cespedes is now expendable.
Cespedes has name value, and there's a whole lot of #narrative that says his departure from Oakland is what single-handedly sunk the Athletics' season, even though we know that's not actually true. His powerful throwing arm and Home Run Derby exploits could fill up the highlight films. As such, there's a good chance Cespedes will be traded in the next several weeks. But when you look behind the headlines, what sort of player can another team really expect?