The Red Sox were linked to a blockbuster trade proposal Wednesday that would send Jarren Duran and Aroldis Chapman to the Padres in exchange for a prospect package headlined by top San Diego catching prospect Ethan Salas.
The proposed deal would give Boston one of baseball’s most coveted young prospects, but at the cost of signaling that the Red Sox have shifted fully into sell mode, raising the white flag on the 2026 season.
Jarren Duran, Aroldis Chapman Trade Proposal
GettyRed Sox closer Aroldis Chapman was included in a blockbuster trade proposal that would send the veteran reliever to the San Diego Padres.
The concept came from Sammy James of the Play Tessie podcast, released on Wednesday. In James’ proposal, Boston would ship Duran and Chapman west. San Diego would send back Salas and two other top-20 Padres prospects — right-handed pitcher Miguel Mendez and outfielder Alex McCoy.
The Padres have pursued Duran for years, the Play Tessie co-host said. The 29-year-old onetime All-Star Game MVP brings elite speed, club control through 2029 and a track record as one of the American League’s most dangerous leadoff options. Duran would fit comfortably atop a San Diego lineup already built around Fernando Tatis Jr., according to James.
Chapman, among the game’s elite late-inning arms, would pair with closer Mason Miller to give the Padres a historically dominant bullpen combination. One of the game’s most prolific fireballers over his 17-year career, Chapman has still been clocked at 101.3 mph this season at age 38.
“If you trade Chapman, you’re in full sell mode,” James said on the podcast. “I don’t know if I’m getting enough after Salas to justify trading Chapman.”
The panel landed on a shared verdict: San Diego says yes. Boston says no — not because the return falls short, but because dealing both players requires a front office that has already written off 2026. “If they’re 10 games out,” James said, “then yeah, you probably have to do it.”
GettyEthan Salas, the Padres’ top-ranked prospect and one of baseball’s premier catching prospects, was the centerpiece of a proposed trade package for Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran and closer Aroldis Chapman.
Salas Headlines San Diego Return
Salas is 20 years old and the No. 1 prospect in the San Diego system, as rated by MLB Pipeline, which projects his MLB arrival in 2027. He signed with San Diego out of Venezuela in 2023 for a $5.6 million bonus as the top international prospect in his class. His scouting grades of 60 on his arm and 70 in the field reflect a catching profile that evaluators rarely see at this age.
Mendez, ranked third in the San Diego system, came out of the Dominican Republic for a mere $10,000 in 2021 and spent four seasons climbing to Double-A. His four-seamer sits 95-98 mph and touches triple digits. His slider also grades at 60. MLB Pipeline projects Mendez to reach the majors in 2026.
McCoy, ranked 19th in the San Diego organization by Pipeline, is a 24-year-old outfielder who hit .318/.394/.513 with six home runs in 53 games at Single-A Lake Elsinore last season. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, his raw power grades as the best in the Padres system and among the best in all of the minor leagues, according to an MLB Pipeline scouting report. His peak exit velocity reached 118 mph in the California League.
“If you sell, package players. Maximize return. Go get a superstar prospect like Salas,” James said on the Play Tessie podcast Wednesday. The trade proposal frames a decision the Red Sox front office has not yet had to make — but one the calendar may eventually force.
Red Sox Tabbed to Trade Jarren Duran, Aroldis Chapman in Blockbuster