Red Sox Second Half Primer: Players, developments, games, call-ups & trades to watch for

There are still (at least) 72 games remaining in the 2019 Red Sox season, with some significant ground to make up in the standings.

Some areas — pitching, most obviously — need improvement. Others — offense, for one — seem largely set for now.

A lot can still happen in the final two and a half-months remaining. Here's a look at what lies ahead on a number of fronts:

THREE MOST IMPORTANT PLAYERS:

Chris Sale: Sale was dominant at times in the first half (17-strikeout game vs. Colorado), but not nearly as consistent as the Sox needed him to be. If Sale can't regain his status as a true No. 1 starter, it's hard to imagine the Red Sox getting to the postseason.

Mookie Betts: Consider Betts to be the position player version of Sale - a highly important player who didn't play to his capability in the first half. In the final week of the first half, Betts began driving the ball more regularly and having an impact early in the game. If that continues, the Red Sox will be a force.

Matt Barnes: Barnes had a brutal month of June (9.69 ERA), but it's easy to forget how good Barnes was in April (2.25 ERA) and May (1.86). It's likely that his slump in June was the result of over-use. Barnes remains the Red Sox' most important reliever, capable of shutting down opponents' most dangerous hitters. If he gets some help (from Nathan Eovaldi or a July trade acquisition), he could be invaluable.

THREE DEVELOPMENTS TO WATCH

Eovaldi to the bullpen: A great deal of uncertainty exists here. Can Eovaldi make the transition to a relief role? How will he be used? Will he eventually go back into the rotation? Does he remain healthy? Stay tuned.

The infield will get more crowded: Mitch Moreland may not be too far away as he comes back from a right quad strain, which has sidelined him for more than a month. When Moreland returns, does he get the majority of at-bats at first? Does he platoon with Michael Chavis? Does Chavis play more second with Moreland? Is there room to retain Marco Hernandez? And that's all before Steve Pearce -- due back in August from a knee injury -- returns.

Trading off free agents-to-be: This wouldn't necessarily involve a sell-off for the Sox, but it could create some payroll relief if they found a taker for, say, Eduardo Nunez. 

MOST IMPORTANT STRETCH IN SCHEDULE

July 22-Aug.4: For a period of two weeks, the Red Sox will play only the Rays and Yankees for 14 straight games, meeting both AL East rivals in home-and-home series. First, three in Tampa, then four at home with the Yankees, then three at home with the Rays, then four (including a makeup game) in New York.

By the end, the trade deadline will have come and gone, and the Red Sox will have a much better idea of where they stand in regards to their postseason chances. As a matter of fact, how well the Sox do in the first half of that stretch may determine how aggressive the team is at the deadline.

THREE BIGGEST SERIES AFTER THE NY/TB GAUNTLET

Note that, by pure happenstance, all three of these series will be on the road. Given how well the Sox played away from Fenway, maybe that's not such a bad thing.

Aug. 12-14, @ CLEVELAND: The Indians figure to be in the wild-card hunt, and if you're ready to concede that the Rays will be one of the wild-card participants, that makes any series with another contender critical. These three games with the Tribe and Terry Francona could be huge.

Sept. 20-23, @ TAMPA BAY: If the division is out of reach, the Red Sox might still be in position to compete for home-field advantage in the wild-card game. These four games with the Rays at Tropicana Field could well determine who plays at home and who has to travel for the win-or-go-home game.

Sept. 24-26, @ TEXAS: The Rangers are surprise players in the wild-card race and this series comes immediately after the Sox' four-game set in Tampa.

THREE POTENTIAL DEADLINE TARGETS OTHER THAN ZACH WHEELER

Ken Giles, Toronto: Giles isn't doing much good for the Blue Jays, who are just now embarking on their rebuild. Never mind the talk teams won't trade within their division. Last year alone, J.A. Happ and Nathan Eovaldi were dealt to other teams in the East.

Will Smith, San Francisco: It seems a given that the Giants will move some bullpen parts, and the Sox inquired last year about Smith, though talks never progressed very far. As an added bonus, he'd give the Sox a lefty weapon in relief. As an added bonus, he's inexpensive when it comes to salary ($4.23 million).

Andrew Cashner, Baltimore: Like the Giants and Jays, the Orioles have nothing to play for and will sell-off everything not nailed down. Cashner wouldn't be a bad fifth starter pick-up (3.83 ERA). He's said he might retire if he's traded, but it's hard to imagine he'd walk away from the $3 million or so he's got coming and a chance to pitch in the postseason for the first time in his career.

THREE CALL-UPS WHO COULD CONTRIBUTE

Darwinzon Hernandez: A couple of weeks ago, the Red Sox shifted Hernandez from the bullpen to the rotation with a clear eye toward having him help out the big league team in the second half. If he can harness his control (he's currently averaging a walk per inning at Triple-A), he could be an intriguing weapon.

Tanner Houck: Houck is still at Double-A Portland, but he, too, was recently shifted to a relief role, another telltale sign the Sox might be willing to fast-track him for some a second-half look-see in the Boston bullpen.

Jarren Duran: It's doubtful that the Sox would want to get him onto the 40-man roster this year, especially since this is his first full pro season. But Duran has blazing speed and could be a useful addition for September when teams generally like to have pinch-runners as part of their expanded major league rosters.