But for the possibility of watering down the return to dump Corbin's contract, I've got some confidence in Rizzo's ability to deal. I think it's been observed by writers that he has a reputation among GMs as not trying to win trades (that is, he doesn't make absurd demands or conceal things that makes him untrustworthy), so if the packages for Soto are anywhere near as good as the ones conjectured in the MLB.com article, I think he pulls the trigger. I'm the stupid optimist, but that Yankee deal shifts the horizon from 2025-26 before we are respectable to 2024, maybe even 2023 with the right moves. I thought the deals last year were fine given what we moved out. It would have helped if Carrillo and Ramirez were healthy, but the rest of the return was terrific. A backup catcher with enough pop to maybe 1B or DH in exchange for Hand, a 4th OF for Lester, a very good prospect catcher in Drew Millas for Josh Harrison, IIRC, a live useful arm for Hudson, and then of course Gray, Ruiz, Carrillo in the big deal. HE did that with an expiring contract, so I think his only new pressure is to impress his new bosses. That should not lead to devaluing trades.
I will be curious if the Red Sox are sellers. It is a real possibility. If they are, then Eovaldi and JD, possibly Xander, are huge additions to the sellers side.