The newly aggressive Boston Red Sox have been in the mix for seemingly all of the top names on both the trade and free agent markets so far this winter. They are charging ahead with plans to sign Juan Soto and are trying hard for Chicago White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet, with dreams of a superteam dancing through fans' heads.
But for as fun as all the speculation has been, the most likely scenario is still that Soto is too expensive for Boston, who are contending with a desperate Toronto Blue Jays GM in Ross Atkins and two abundantly rich owners in the New York Mets' Steve Cohen and the New York Yankees' Hal Steinbrenner. And on Chicago’s South Side, the price for Crochet appears to be getting steeper by the day, so much so that a recent round of talks involving Wilyer Abreu wasn’t substantive at all.
While Craig Breslow should be commended for exploring all of his options, the team can't count on either of its dream scenarios coming true. Luckily, though, the Red Sox have plenty of cash and trade chips with which to pivot. And one trade in particular could help the team kill two birds with one stone.
Imagine a Red Sox lineup with Ketel Marte sandwiched in between Jarren Duran and Rafael Devers with Triston Casas batting cleanup. That addition alone would likely be enough to propel the Red Sox into the postseason. In a 2024 season where an ankle sprain derailed him for a chunk of August and September, Marte still slashed .292/.372/.560 with a career-high 36 home runs, finishing third in NL MVP voting and collecting his first Silver Slugger. Even better, the switch-hitting 31-year-old is signed through 2027 with a club option for 2028, and brings a ton of defensive versatility with the ability to play either middle-infield spot and pretty much anywhere in the outfield.
But why stop there? The Red Sox are on the hunt for a top-end starter, and when healthy, Gallen has shown he can be one of the best pitchers in the game. He finished third in NL Cy Young voting in 2023, and he battled through injury to post a 3.65 ERA in 148 innings this past season. He will be a free agent after 2025. With Scott Boras as his agent, an extension isn’t likely, but the Red Sox would have leverage in re-signing him if he likes Boston and the Red Sox would have enough money for such an endeavor after missing out on Soto.
Giving up two franchise cornerstones would hurt for Arizona, but the D-backs aren't likely to re-sign Gallen next winter, and they'd be getting a major infusion of young talent in return. Abreu was one of the league's best-kept secrets as a rookie, hitting .253 with 15 home runs in 399 at-bats while winning a Gold Glove in right field. In addition to a young, Major League-ready regular, Boston also sends two of the better position prospects in the sport, highlighted by Mayer, a toolsy infielder that Arizona could pair with Jordan Lawlar for years to come. Teel is no slouch either: The top catching prospect in the Minors, the UVA product hit .280 with 13 home runs in 427 at-bats across Double-A and Triple-A in 2024 and is seen as a plus defender behind the plate.
A trade for Marte and Gallen would improve the Red Sox drastically in the two spots they need it most. The D-backs, on the other hand, would receive the building blocks necessary to keep their recent run of contention going into the future. But while a deal like this one might seem within reason for both teams, don’t expect anything like this to happen. Trading Gallen is very possible, maybe evne inevitable as his free agency nears, but trading Marte doesn’t seem like something GM Mike Hazen would indulge. On the other side, the Red Sox will likely be very hesitant to part with any of their Core Four of top prospects, much less two of them.
