Instead, Steven Matz came over from the St. Louis Cardinals, but without Ryan, the Red Sox are left hoping that more marginal moves will be enough. Derek Falvey stared at a top 100 prospect return, but wisely backed off when Boston refused to put anyone else in the deal.

There was excitement for Correa to join the likes of Byron Buxton, an otherworldly talent whose only barrier to superstardom had been health, and Royce Lewis, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, who made his major-league debut that season.