The Boston Red Sox have been cited as a clear fit for infielder Isaac Paredes as the club looks to replace Alex Bregman heading into the 2026 season.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic joined the Crush City Territory podcast with Chandler Rome and Tyler Stafford on Wednesday, March 4, to discuss the Houston Astros. The MLB insider listed the Red Sox as the “pretty obvious match” in reference to a potential Paredes swap.
The two-time All-Star has been a popular name in trade discussions this offseason. Paredes is on the outside looking in for a lineup spot with Christian Walker, Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena, and Carlos Correa penciled in around the infield and Yordan Alvarez at DH. Houston’s options in the outfield pale in comparison to the abundance of talent on the dirt, especially after trading top prospect Jacob Melton.
“The Red Sox have the exact opposite problem,” Rosenthal said. “The outfield surplus, the infield shortage. … It seems to me this is a pretty obvious match.”
Boston Red Sox Tabbed as a Fit in Potential Isaac Paredes Trade
Boston has been in the mix for Paredes, and Rosenthal mentioned the teams have discussed trade scenarios, though not recently. The analyst added that the Astros desire a left-handed hitting outfielder, and it would “most likely be [Jarren] Duran, and not [Wilyer] Abreu,” heading to Houston.
The Red Sox are dealing with a glut of their own, as Rosenthal mentioned. The team has four outfielders worthy of regular playing time in Duran, Abreu, Roman Anthony, and Ceddanne Rafaela. Boston still has veteran Masataka Yoshida as a bench outfielder/DH candidate. Triston Casas is also returning from a torn patellar tendon. He’ll join the DH mix with Willson Contreras usurping him at first base.
Third base has been an area of need for Boston this offseason after the club came up short in luring Alex Bregman back. The longtime Astro delivered a 125 wRC+ in his lone season with the Red Sox before opting out of his contract. The Chicago Cubs landed him for a massive five-year, $175 million pact.
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow somewhat addressed the hole at the hot corner via a trade for Caleb Durbin. Boston sent the Milwaukee Brewers a package headlined by Kyle Harrison to acquire the versatile infielder. The Red Sox don’t have an obvious candidate to play second base either, so a Paredes addition would slide Durbin to the keystone.
Should the Red Sox Move Duran or Abreu for Paredes?
The Durbin deal certainly boosted Boston’s leverage in negotiations for Paredes. The club can put top prospect Marcelo Mayer at second or third base and have a viable infield group. Obviously, Paredes would be an upgrade on a 23-year-old with just 44 MLB games under his belt, but the Red Sox aren’t stuck if they can’t find the right price with Houston.
As Rosenthal mentioned, Duran would be easier to part with than Abreu. He’s almost three years older, with one fewer season of team control. Duran grades out as a middling defender. Abreu, on the other hand, has earned a Gold Glove award in back-to-back seasons.
Red Sox Named ‘Obvious Match’ to Trade for Two-Time All-Star by MLB Insider