Ricciardi: Downs best for Red Sox

ESPN baseball analyst and former Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi told The Big Show Friday that Jays reliever Scott Downs in the best trade target available to the Red Sox out of the Toronto bullpen at this point. “I would think Downs would be at the top of the list to me personally,” Ricciardi said. “He gets right-handers out. He gets left-handers out. He can give you an inning and 2/3, even two innings at a time.”  He dismissed the idea of going after other Jays relievers Kevin Gregg, who he said might struggle outside of a closing role, and Jason Frasor, about whom Ricciardi said, “The tighter the situation the worse he pitches.”

Ricciardi also added that Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez certainly could be an intriguing target should the Sox look to address the catcher position given the team’s recent injuries. “He would be a nice fit in Boston,” Ricciardi said. “He’s a guy you don’t have to be married to for a long time. Holds the fort down until those guys come back. He’s a veteran guy, plays with a lot of energy, can help a major league staff. That’s a good name if that’s a name being mentioned in Boston.”

For a transcript of the entire Ricciardi interview click here.

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