The Boston Red Sox don't necessarily have to trade any of their core stars. But since their main offseason objective more or less demands it, the idea must be taken seriously.
According to Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald, the Red Sox want to get under the $208 million luxury-tax threshold for 2020. Based on their current projection, that will require shedding at least $21 million in average annual value from their payroll for next season.
It's little wonder that nearly all of the Red Sox's most expensive players have been mentioned as possible trade chips.