The Boston Red Sox have had a quiet all-around offseason, although they did recently suffer a crucial blow when Alex Bregman decided to leave town to sign with the Chicago Cubs.
Fans have grown extremely frustrated with the Red Sox this offseason. After losing Bregman, the decision to trade away Rafael Devers was called into question. Boston seems to have completely missed on that decision.
With that being said, there is still time for the Red Sox to make a move or two.
Ranger Suarez was recently signed to a lucrative five-year, $130 million contract. That move will help the Boston rotation. However, there is a need for a third baseman.
According to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Red Sox are discussing a trade with the Houston Astros for veteran third baseman Isaac Paredes.
The Red Sox are talking to Houston, which has an infield glut and could deal Isaac Paredes,” Heyman said.
Paredes is no Bregman or Devers, but he’s a quality player. With the situation that Boston finds itself in, the need to get aggressive for an upgrade at third base is clear.
What Would the Boston Red Sox Be Getting in Isaac Paredes?
Paredes is a solid all-around player. No one would call him a “star,” but he’s more than capable of starting for the Red Sox.
Last season, the 26-year-old third baseman played in 102 games with the Astros. He hit 20 home runs to go along with 53 RBI and a slash line of .254/.352/.458.
That was his first season in Houston. He was part of the offseason blockbuster trade between the Astros and Chicago Cubs that shipped superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker out of town. Paredes dealt with some injury issues throughout the year.
Boston could do a lot worse than Paredes at third base. However, he’s a streaky hitter at the plate. He’s also not an elite third baseman from a defensive standpoint.
At the end of the day, he’s the kind of move that a team makes when other better options sign elsewhere. He’s not going to replace Bregman’s production, but he’s worth acquiring as an improvement over what the Red Sox currently have in place.
There Is Another Option for the Red Sox to Consider
Depending on the price tag for Paredes and whether or not the Astros truly want to move him, Boston does have another option it could look into.
Eugenio Suarez is still a free agent. There have been reports connecting him to the Red Sox.
Early on in the offseason, Boston showed interest in Suarez. That interest cooled off as the team tried to re-sign Bregman. The Red Sox are likely behind in the pursuit of Suarez, but they could consider getting more aggressive.
Suarez is coming off of a 2025 MLB season split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners that saw him hit 49 home runs, drive in 118 runs, and slash .228/.298/.526.
Clearly, he isn’t a pure hitter and he’s known for his power. He’s not the best third baseman in baseball, but the pop he brings to the plate could be of interest.
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