“Similarly, the Red Sox have signaled interest in Dylan Cease, who would be a rental," McAdam wrote. "The Padres, in their never-ending quest to acquire Duran, proposed a package involving Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas and another prospect (not shortstop Leo de Vries) for Duran, which was quickly rejected."

Of note, Bowden identified the Red Sox as the team “that asked for too much in trades,” citing multiple MLB general managers. That led to another undesirable superlative for Boston: “The fan base that heard crickets.”