The Boston Red Sox have had a horrendous season to date, and don’t appear to be any closer to bouncing back into contention, at least not in 2026. They fired Alex Cora after a rough start, but things haven’t exactly gotten better since then.
As a result, they will likely be sellers at the trade deadline, and while they don’t have a lot of players on expiring contracts, plenty of players on their roster could still be trade chips.
One player that is on an expiring deal and is a likely trade chip is left-hander Aroldis Chapman, who is having one of his best seasons to date. The 38-year-old has saved 13 games in 20 appearances and has a 0.46 ERA.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report listed several top trade candidates, and Chapman was one of many Red Sox players on the list.
“These days, Aroldis Chapman ‘only’ averages 96.6 mph and rarely hits 100 mph on the fastball. Yet he’s still as good as he’s ever been, mostly owing to how he’s learned to show hitters different looks and actually hit spots,” Rymer wrote. “Save for a handful of teams, he’s a better closer than most contenders have.”
Aroldis Chapman Named Top Trade Chip
Chapman does have a mutual option for 2027, but those are rarely ever exercised, so chances of him re-signing in Boston after 2026 are slim. Thus, it makes sense to trade him to a contending team.
Boston is 27-39 and in last place in the American League East. They still have a shot in the wild card race, but only because the AL has been relatively weak this year, so it is unlikely that they will make it to the postseason in 2026.
Chapman has been moved at the trade deadline before. The New York Yankees moved him to the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and ended up with Gleyber Torres, while the Cubs went on to win the World Series.
Seven years later, the Kansas City Royals sent him to the Texas Rangers, who gave up Cole Ragans. Chapman helped the Rangers win a title, while Ragans became a Cy Young candidate with the Royals.
If the Red Sox sell high on him, they could bring back a solid haul of prospects, which would be good for the future as they try to bounce back from what has been a very disappointing 2026 season. Every time Chapman has been moved at the deadline, he has left in exchange for solid pieces, so it makes sense for the Red Sox to at least consider it.
Red Sox Likely to Pivot to Selling
At this point, it would be hard for the Red Sox to justify buying at the trade deadline. While the American League is wide open, the Red Sox are going to need to get hot soon and gain ground quickly in order for that to make sense.
Because they keep struggling, selling appears to be the best path forward, and Chapman is likely the best trade chip they have as they look towards the future.
Red Sox $13 Million Closer Called Top Trade Candidate Amid Strong Season