Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low around 70F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low around 70F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.

At this point last month people were writing the Red Sox obituary.

After faceplanting out of the gate the Red Sox looked like obvious sellers, and with numerous key players approaching free agency the teardown could have been swift and dramatic.

Now? The Red Sox are rolling, lead the AL Wild Card race and might just be the most interesting club to watch ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.

While a blockbuster Xander Bogaerts trade is likely off the table, the Red Sox are otherwise in a unique position where they could do just about anything. The club still has needs to fill, veterans possibly on their way out and a load of prospects knocking on the door, so do the Red Sox go all in? Hand the keys to some of the younger players? Both?

It’s a fascinating dynamic and there’s no obvious right path, but no matter what direction the club takes Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has some tough decisions to make.

1. A big swing? Reds starter Luis Castillo

If the Red Sox wanted to make a clear statement that they’re in it to win it, adding the top starting pitcher on the market would be a great way to do it. Luis Castillo is a former All-Star who remains under team control through next season and currently has a 3.71 ERA, and combined with the impending return of Chris Sale could elevate Boston’s rotation from simply good and deep to borderline elite.

There’s no doubt Boston has the pieces to make a trade like this, but it may not have the stomach to foot the bill. Castillo would necessitate a substantial package of prospects, one that would almost certainly include fast-rising pitcher Brayan Bello and at least one other blue chipper before Cincinnati even gives it thought.

Given Bloom’s oft-stated desire to build towards sustainable success, a bold move like this would be out of character, but that doesn’t mean it would be a bad idea. A benefit of having a deep farm system is being able to make big moves and still having cards to play later, and the Red Sox recent success building organizational depth has given them a lot of young talent to work with.

2. Could Sox target elite reliever?

If the Red Sox plan to make a big move at the deadline, adding an elite relief pitcher seems more likely than a frontline starter like Castillo. Boston has stabilized its shaky bullpen by elevating Triple-A righty John Schreiber (0.79 ERA in 24 games) and installing former first-round pick Tanner Houck as closer (6 for 6 in save opportunities), but the club could undoubtably use another top arm.

Who could they get? Detroit’s Gregory Soto would likely be near the top of the list. The 27-year-old lefty has a 2.67 ERA and 14 saves despite pitching for one of baseball’s worst teams, and he also won’t hit free agency until 2026. Pittsburgh’s David Bednar is another attractive option, he’s also 27 with a 1.78 ERA and 11 saves and remains under team control through 2026.

Soto and Bednar are guys you could build a bullpen around for the long haul, but those extra years of team control won’t come cheap. Another option is adding a more established pitcher as a lower cost rental, someone like Chicago Cubs righty David Robertson or Colorado’s Daniel Bard.

Bard in particular would be a great story. A former top prospect with the Red Sox a decade ago, Bard famously flamed out and spent seven years away from the big leagues before making a comeback and revitalizing his career in Colorado. He currently has a 1.88 ERA and 15 saves with the Rockies, and a return to Boston would both give the club a boost and bring his amazing career arc full circle. Better yet, he could likely be had for a similar prospect as the one Boston gave up for Kyle Schwarber last summer.

3. Buy and sell? How Sox can creatively improve

The Red Sox haven’t had any trouble scoring runs over the past few weeks, but the club could still use another big bat, and first base is the logical place for an upgrade. While Franchy Cordero has played well since being called up in late April, he and Bobby Dalbec have still combined for sub-replacement level production, and top prospect Triston Casas probably won’t be in position for a promotion any time soon thanks to a sprained ankle that’s sidelined him for the past month.

Of the available first basemen, Washington’s Josh Bell checks a lot of boxes. He’s a former all-star who is hitting .308 with 11 home runs and an .882 OPS, and he’s also a pending free agent, so he wouldn’t block Casas in the long-term. Pittsburgh’s Brian Reynolds might be another more expensive option, opening the possibility of a Reynolds-Bednar blockbuster.

A trade like that would almost certainly require top outfield prospect Jarren Duran’s inclusion, but the Red Sox could also go in a completely different direction. Jarren Duran has played well filling in for Kiké Hernández while the center fielder has been out, and with Hernández and Jackie Bradley Jr. both impending free agents, he’s made a strong case for why he deserves one of those spots come 2023.

Maybe even sooner than that.

Rather than trade Duran, the Red Sox could just as easily trade either Hernández or Bradley Jr. and pencil Duran into the starting lineup in their place. Either of them would likely at least bring back a decent prospect, helping bolster Boston’s organizational depth while the club also cashes in on other assets to improve the big league roster. The club could do something similar with left-handed reliever Josh Taylor or one of its other three lefties in the bullpen, especially if Bloom brings in another top reliever from elsewhere.

There are obviously plenty of moving parts in play, but if Bloom plays his cards right the Red Sox could come out of the deadline with a better, deeper and more streamlined roster well positioned for October and the years to come.

Email: mcerullo@northofboston.com. Twitter: @MacCerullo.

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