The Red Sox Could Make Waves As Trade Deadline Sellers

Forbes

4 hours ago

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 23: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after hitting a RBI ... More single against the Baltimore Orioles during the sixth inning at Fenway Park on May 23, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by)
The Boston Red Sox were supposed to pull themselves out of the doldrums this season. Instead, they've sunk further into the muck, and could seek to trade away some key players before the trade deadline.
The Red Sox sit in fourth place in the American League East with a 31-35 record as they prepare for tonight's rubber match at Yankee Stadium. Barring a rebound, it looks like 2025 will be their fourth consecutive season without finishing over .500.
Boston has one of the most exciting farm systems in baseball, and young players like Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer, and Roman Anthony were supposed to lift them above their 81-81 finish a year ago. While Anthony is still in Triple-A, the team's pitching and run prevention haven't been sufficient to match their offense. They've allowed 4.6 runs per game, ranking 23rd in MLB, in part because their 58 errors are more than any other team has made.
Unless they turn things around, the prudent move is to become sellers at the trade deadline. Here are some Boston players who could be on the move.
Duran broke out as a top player last season, batting .285/.342/.492 with a 131 OPS+, indicating his offense was 31% better than average, while playing excellent defense in center and left. He led MLB in doubles (48), triples (14), and plate appearances (735), and his 8.7 WAR (Baseball-Reference version) was fourth in the American League.
He's compiling almost as strong of an encore in 2025, hitting .274/.329/.427 with a 110 OPS+ and 1.4 WAR so far. He's once again leading MLB with seven triples and 307 plate appearances.
Duran is 28 years old and has three more years of team control remaining after this one. The Red Sox would command an enormous bounty for his services, and he would only be made available because they have so much young talent coming up behind him.
Ceddanne Rafaela isn't the kind of hitter Duran has become, but he's among the best defensive center fielders in the game, and he's responsible for pushing Duran to left field. He signed an extension that will keep him in Boston through 2031. Wilyer Abreu has a 120 OPS+, is tied for the team lead with 13 home runs, and won a Gold Glove in right field as a rookie when he led MLB with nine outfield assists. Anthony is widely considered the best overall prospect in the game, and the club needs to clear an outfield spot for him soon.
The Red Sox have a one-two punch in their bullpen who could both be on their way out of town by the end of July. Aroldis Chapman is one of the greatest left-handed relievers in baseball history. At 37 years old, he still averages 99.1 mph on his fastball and frequently reaches triple digits. If he can maintain his 1.73 ERA and 0.92 WHIP, they would be his best marks over a full season since 2016.
Right-hander Garrett Whitlock is a full-time reliever again after dalliances in the starting rotation in the past three years. He has a 3.45 ERA and a healthy 28.9% strikeout rate, and he has shown he can throw multiple innings out of the bullpen by accumulating 31 1/3 innings in 22 appearances.
Chapman's contract is simple to trade, as he's on a one-year, $10.75 million deal. Whitlock's contract could also be appealing to other teams. He's earning $5.5 million and will receive $7.5 million in 2026 on a deal that includes team options for 2027 and 2028.
Two veteran utility men are having good years at the plate, and could be appealing to teams looking for low-cost solutions to their lineup woes.
Rob Refsnyder has been a backup outfielder for the Red Sox since 2022, and he's batting .292/.377/.538 over 77 plate appearances. Crushing left-handed pitching is his specialty, and he's a frequent platoon partner for Abreu in right field.
Abraham Toro has become an everyday player at the corner infield spots following injuries to starters Alex Bregman and Triston Casas—combined with Rafael Devers' unwillingness to play the field. The switch-hitter is batting .325/.338/.506 with a 133 OPS+ in 80 trips to the plate.
The Red Sox aren't doomed just yet. They could pull out of their season-long tailspin, in which case they'll seek to add starting pitching instead of selling. Until they can get over .500, it makes more sense for their front office to start thinking about moving their more expendable players.