With less than a week until Monday’s trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox are still expected to make more moves to bolster the roster for the stretch run in what’s expected to be a tight American League playoff race. That’s particularly important now that newly acquired infielder Curtis Mead has landed on the injured list with a broken left wrist.
With that in mind, we opened the mailbag for questions. In Part 1, we dug into the job chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is doing, Curtis Mead’s fit with the team, payroll projections, the rotation, bullpen trades and more.
In Part 2 here, we’ll look at more deadline scenarios, the rise of Franklin Arias, prospects who might be traded, Chad Tracy and more.
Questions have been lightly edited for clarity.
Is there any consideration for promoting Franklin Arias to the big leagues this season? Marcelo Mayer never hit like Arias in the minors. Maybe that’s the shortstop fix, and they spend their trade capital on a catcher or reliever? – Anonymous U
The Red Sox promoted Arias to Triple-A Worcester last week, so while it’s not out of the question he’d be promoted by the end of the season, it might be a bit aggressive for the 20-year-old. Arias hit .318 with a .993 OPS in 77 games this season at Double-A, where he was among the youngest players in the league. Arias was hitless through his first two games at Triple-A, but homered for his first hit on Tuesday. It might be tempting to promote him for the stretch run, but we’ve seen the pressure prospects in Boston face, not to mention the Red Sox are pushing for the postseason and Arias is still very young.
One curiosity at this deadline is that league sources have indicated the Red Sox are still pursuing upgrades at shortstop. That was the case even before Mead broke his wrist. The Red Sox view Arias as a future shortstop, but they already have Trevor Story about a month away from returning from sports hernia surgery. That’s not including Marcelo Mayer, also on the injury list with a forearm stress reaction.
Story and Mayer haven’t performed well this season, but throwing Arias into the mix adds a ton of pressure. Meanwhile, if Arias is their shortstop of the future, the Red Sox could have considered moving Story to second (Story is under contract through 2027 and owed $25 million next year), but the team just acquired Mead, who’s 25 and will likely be their long-term second baseman. Perhaps Story moves to second when he returns if Mead is still out, but it’s unclear now how long Mead will be sidelined. That also leaves Mayer as the odd man out, though he could be optioned to Triple A once healthy. Trading Story is an option, but finding a suitor might be tough. If the Red Sox do acquire another shortstop it would interfere with Arias’ future, unless they plan to trade him. If they acquire a shortstop and keep Arias, it further boxes out Story.
Which prospects/young players are more likely to be traded, and who is seen as untouchable? – Noah S
Since we’re on the topic of Arias, it is possible they trade him, though I do view that as highly unlikely. As the No. 4 prospect in baseball per The Athletic’s Keith Law, the Red Sox would likely only consider trading Arias for an All-Star player with several years of control. Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman fits that profile, and the Red Sox have been tied to him, but trading Arias still would be tough.
That said, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has proven willing to make tough trades of top prospects. He traded two of his top prospects in Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery for Garrett Crochet and dealt pitching prospect Luis Perales last winter for Jake Bennett. Breslow has been forthright in noting he’s willing to make tough trades (like trading Connelly Early for Mead) to help the current team. As far as other potential trade pieces, Mayer could be in that mix. Though he’s yet to find his rhythm at the plate, his standout defense, age (23) and years of control (through 2031) are all factors that would be enticing to teams.
Jarren Duran isn’t young anymore (in baseball terms, anyway), but has been on the trade block each of the last two years. He’s not having a good season at the plate, but still has shown flashes of the dynamic player he was two years ago. He would enhance any trade package. Young controllable pitching is always coveted and Breslow has shown a willingness to deal certain young pitchers. While he’s already dealt Early from the major league team, top pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson, a right-hander drafted in the third round last season, is having a breakout first season in pro ball with a 1.13 ERA in 15 games, 14 starts, between High A and Double A.
Trading Eyanson would also hurt, but like Arias, acquiring a young, controllable player in return to help the big league team now would be the objective.
Bobby Witt Jr. during the third inning of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Do the Sox have a realistic chance to acquire Bobby Witt Jr.? If so, what do you think the Sox would have to give up? I assume starting with Roman Anthony and Arias, plus. – Dennis M
Acquiring Witt, Kansas City’s 26-year-old All-Star shortstop, would require a haul, and yes, I’d have to imagine the Royals asking price starts with Anthony and Arias. Starters Payton Tolle and Eyanson would probably also be part of the Royals’ asking price. That’s a lot, of course, but Witt is under control through 2030 on a deal making an average salary of roughly $21 million. He’s finished in the top four in AL MVP the last two years and already made three All-Star teams with a career .288 average and .838 OPS through his first four and a half seasons.
The Red Sox might have a realistic package to send Kansas City. Whether they’d be willing to part with that many top players in their system is the question.
The Sox offense has improved since the Sox changed the team’s hitting staff. Do you see any changes from the new hitting staff that you believe might have made a difference? – Adam S
A lot of the offensive rhythm the team has found over the last month has been because they have very different personnel than at the start of the season.
Anthony, Mayer and Story have been on the IL with Triple-A call-ups like Tsung-Che Cheng, Anthony Seigler, and Nate Eaton mixing in, while utilityman Andruw Monasterio has seen increased playing time. One thing that’s been stressed by the hitting staff is for the group to play to its strengths. The current roster is full of players who are accustomed to small ball, like sacrifice hitting when needed and stealing bases to pressure defenses. That’s loosened the rest of the offense up. Earlier in the year, players were pressing too much by all trying to get the big hit and their offensive issues compounded. Doing the small things on offense has allowed the bigger bats to loosen up and that’s led to more homers, too. The offense has as much to do with the roster as it does the hitting coaches finding their rhythm with the club.
Why don’t the Red Sox promote Chad Tracy to full-time manager now? He certainly has earned it. – Ed S
There’s no doubt Tracy has earned it given the improbable turnaround the team has had this year. Not only did they reel off 15 straight wins, but almost as impressive is how they’ve played since the streak was snapped, not losing their way and falling back into a one-win-one-loss wave. Tracy will certainly continue to gain traction as a manager of the year candidate, especially if the Red Sox keep up this pace. As for his title, it’s possible they remove the interim tag after the trade deadline, but there are also more important things they’re trying to accomplish. Breslow seems pleased with how Tracy has operated, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s given him an internal vote of confidence but has more or less said we’ll deal with that in the offseason. To his credit, Tracy, who was inducted into Triple-A Worcester’s Hall of Fame last week, has brushed aside any questions about his title and remains focused on the day-to-day tasks of managing the club.
