Players want to be on clubs that are buyers rather than sellers at the trade deadline because they want reinforcements coming in, not going out. So when a team chooses to deal, say, their lockdown closer who is also a steadying veteran force beloved by his teammates, that can take a toll on the remaining players, those battleworn soldiers hoping for help but instead seeing their supplies dwindling as the season wears on.
And initially, that appeared to take a toll on the weary club. George Kirby was uncharacteristically not sharp tonight, and the Red Sox batters were ready to pounce on his every mistake.