When it comes to the most disappointing teams in MLB in 2026, the Boston Red Sox are one of the teams that come to mind. There are several different ways you can point to as to why they are where they are.
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow fired manager Alex Cora and some of his staff in April, but that hasn’t made a difference. Interim manager Chad Tracy is 12-13 before Boston opens a three-game series at home against the Atlanta Braves. This is not a great sign for Breslow.
Maybe Cora wasn’t the problem after all. Maybe it’s the way the roster was constructed. Breslow made a handful of trades over the offseason, and not many have worked out well. You can make the case that Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras, both acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in separate trades, have worked out. Other than that, the results haven’t been what they had hoped.
Boston is buried in last place in the American League East Division. They are showing no signs of going on a run. They could, but if they don’t, then Breslow is going to have some decisions to make. Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report, however, dropped a brutal reality facing Boston.
Boston Red Sox Get Reality on Potential Top Trade Chip
One name that was floated in trade rumors last offseason was Jarren Duran. He remained in Boston, but he was someone who could be moved by the deadline. If that ends up being the case, he might not fetch a lot back in return.
“Their record says they are trending towards being a seller. But after firing Alex Cora and much of his staff in April, there’s quite a bit of pressure on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to get things right,” wrote Kelly. “Is he in a position to take a step back at the trade deadline if that’s the right long-term move for the Red Sox?”
Kelly suggested some trade candidates, including Duran. Wilyer Abreu is someone who is unlikely to be moved. Gray and Contreras would have to waive their no-trade clauses to be traded again. That might be a tall ask for Breslow. That leaves Duran. However, Kelly dropped a dose of reality for Breslow and the Red Sox.
“Jarren Duran has long been a trade candidate, but he’s having a miserable season, so the Red Sox would be selling low,” Kelly wrote.
Breslow can’t afford to sell low on Duran. He was his best trade chip over the offseason, but he remained in Boston. Beginning the season with five outfielders for three positions wasn’t a great decision.
Boston Red Sox Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Several players have been a disappointment for Boston this season. Duran would be at the top of the list. He is slashing .193/.266/.348 with six home runs and 25 RBIs. He has struck out a whopping 57 times already and drawn just 16 walks.
Over the offseason, Duran would have been a coveted trade chip. Now, not so much. This leaves Breslow stuck in the middle of nowhere and unlikely to get anywhere near the return he would have had five months ago. The Red Sox are going to be one of the more interesting teams the closer the deadline gets if they end up selling.
Boston Red Sox Sent Concerning Message on Top Trade Candidate