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  • Boston Red Sox Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Boston Red Sox free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Matthew Nethercott
    The Seattle Mariners are listening on most of their starting rotation, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
    Passan reported Saturday afternoon that multiple teams have engaged in discussions about right-handed pitcher George Kirby, as well as right-hander Luis Castillo and Emerson Hancock.
    Kirby, 28, is earning $6.55 million this season after avoiding arbitration and remains under team control through 2028. This season, he's sporting a 20.9% strikeout rate and a 20.9% whiff rate, both of which sit below average, offset by an elite 5.7% walk rate. His 3.33 FIP edges his 3.76 xERA, but quality of contact has crept up (.303 xwOBA, .384 xSLG, 42.0% hard-hit), leaving him reliant on limiting damage in the zone. The 96.6 mph fastball still plays; the swing-and-miss less so.
    The Red Sox are always looking at pitching, making any three of these pitchers a fit.
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    While at first glance Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena doesn't feel like a great fit in a crowded Boston Red Sox outfield, he does have one attribute that could be a boon to the offense.
    He hits right-handed.
    With the Red Sox skewed left-handed when it comes to hitters, Arozarena would help balance that out. Arozarena is having a nice bounce-back year in 2026 with the Mariners, posting a .280/.375/.447 slash line with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in 103 games entering play Saturday. That .280 average is the highest since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when he hit .281 in 23 games. His power numbers are down from the 27 homers he hit last year, his first full season in pitcher-friendly Seattle, but that right-handed power would look good attacking the Green Monster at Fenway Park.
    Arozarena is making $15.65 million this year and is a free agent, so the cost to extract him from the Mariners might not be too great, although Seattle is still pushing for a postseason spot of its own. It also could be an opportunity to move an outfielder who may not fit the Red Sox's plans moving forward.
     
    Matthew Nethercott
    The Red Sox have been searching for a shortstop in recent days as the 2026 MLB trade deadline nears. It was reported earlier in the week that the Red Sox had interest in Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez. Sean McAdam of MassLive is reporting that those talks are "dead", with the two sides not having communicated as much in recent days.
    McAdam added that the Marlins are not motivated to move Lopez with years of club control remaining.
    It can be assumed that the Red Sox will remain active in talks to acquire a shortstop, with Angels Zach Neto and Nationals CJ Abrams remaining the best options for Boston to acquire before Monday night at 6:00pm EST.
    Matthew Lenz
    With a depleted rotation creating uncertainty heading into the stretch run, the Boston Red Sox are expected to prioritize adding a starting pitcher at the trade deadline. While injuries and inconsistent performance have left shortstop and second base unsettled, the bigger need comes on the mound, where an established starter could help stabilize the staff. The Red Sox could still explore upgrades up the middle defensively, including at catcher and in the infield, but adding rotation help is the clearest path to strengthening the roster.

    Multiple MLB insiders are reporting that Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene is drawing significant trade interest, though the Red Sox haven't been formally tied to the 26-year-old righty.

    Greene, who is under team control through 2029, has only made four starts in 2026. Though his ERA is 7.06, his 3.20 FIP suggests that the gloves behind him have been a large reason for the inflated ERA. He's pitched to a 23.5% strikeout-minus-walk (K-BB) rate across 21 2/3 innings. Though the former 2nd overall pick is young and controllable, durability has certainly been a huge question mark in his first five big league seasons.
    Do you think the Red Sox should take a chance on the fireballer? Join the conversation in the comments!
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    If the Boston Red Sox are truly going to acquire controllable talent at the trade deadline instead of a two-month rental, it might hurt a little bit when it comes to prospect capital.
    One area the Red Sox would love to find a long-term solution is catcher—and the most popular name when it comes to a controllable player and production is Hunter Goodman of the Colorado Rockies.
    The 26-year-old is third in MLB with 31 homers, matching his 2025 total, and has a .254/.326/.545 slash line with 60 RBIs. While some might think he is just a product of the thin air at Coors Field, 18 of Goodman's homers have come on the road. While Goodman's defense has been questioned, that is something a team can work on.
    That type of right-handed power would look terrific at Fenway Park, right?
    But with the Rockies turning a corner under a new front office and actually looking competent, Colorado isn't necessarily in the mood to ship off a player the team can build around. Goodman is making $810,000, just above the MLB minimum, and has three more years of club control.
    So that makes the price a stiff one for competitors to pry away Goodman. Combine that with two other AL East rivals, the New York Yankees and first-place Tampa Bay Rays, also seeking a catcher before Monday's deadline, and the price increases that much more.
    According to several reports, the Rockies are looking at the very top of the prospect list if they are going to surrender their young star. For the Red Sox, that begins with shortstop Franklin Arias, who was just promoted to Triple-A Worcester and homered in his first plate appearance. The 20-year-old, Talk Sox's No. 1 prospect, entered play Friday with a .307/.393/.570 slash line in 79 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year.
    With a 15-game winning streak flipping the script on the Red Sox this month, would that price be worth it to not only guarantee a postseason spot but make a deep run to a World Series?
     
    Matthew Nethercott
    The Red Sox are among the teams that have 'checked in' on Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Other AL East teams in need of catching help, like the rival Yankees, have also checked in. The Red Sox have gotten little production from the catcher position this season, with the position posting a 78 WRC+. 
    Herrera has posted a 111 WRC+ in 472 plate appearances, which would be a significant upgrade behind the plate for Boston. The best part is Herrera comes with club control through 2030, which would give the Red Sox some stability behind the plate for a few seasons to come, which is a nice alternative to Connor Wong and Carlos Narvaez, who currently anchor the position.
    Behind the plate, Herrera is not the best defensive option, however. Herrera has posted -2 defensive runs saved over 347.0 innings logged while catching. Herrera is also not the best framer behind the plate, but that might not matter to teams as much with ABS, which Herrera has been above league average with behind the plate (63% overturn rate, according to Statcast).
    Matthew Nethercott
    The Red Sox have shown interest in infielder Otto Lopez of the Miami Marlins, according to Buster Onlely of ESPN. Lopez currently leads the league in batting average (.328) and is truly a game-changer.
    With the injury to the newly acquired Curtis Mead that will sideline him for an unknown period of time, Boston is looking for other options to play middle infield and make an impact on each game. Lopez has 7 defensive runs saved at shortstop, which is tied for the third most in baseball, and would help the Red Sox' defense. Lopez also has logged some innings at second base this season and has been a good defender at that position as well.
    Onley also notes that any alternative brought in to play shortstop will replace Marcelo Mayer when he returns from the IL at the position. 
    If it was not clear before, the Red Sox are going for it at this deadline.
    Steve Drumwright
    The start of Curtis Mead's career with the Boston Red Sox lasted two plate appearances. Now the question is: How do the Red Sox replace the infielder?
    Mead, acquired Saturday in a trade with the Washington Nationals, was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday by the Red Sox with an injured left wrist. Mead told Boston media the wrist is fractured and he will fly to Boston to meet with a hand specialist, who will determine if he needs season-ending surgery. He was hit by a pitch in Monday's game against the A's. Infielder Nick Sogard will be called up from Triple-A Worcester. Due to Boston being in West Sacramento, Sogard is not expected to join the team until Wednesday.
    Mead was hit by a 95 mph four-seamer from A's right-hander Jack Perkins leading off the top of the fourth inning. He remained in the game until being replaced defensively to begin the bottom of the fifth inning.
    Initial X-rays did not show a break, according to interim manager Chad Tracy, but more testing Tuesday led the Red Sox to make the decision to sideline their new acquisition. Mead was picked up in a one-for-one trade for left-handed starter Connelly Early. Mead has a season slash line of .253/.353/.498 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs, hoping to provide a bit of extra power from the Red Sox's infield.
    Steve Drumwright
    As the Boston Red Sox continue their search for an upgrade at catcher, a few more paths could be open.
    One is the Miami Marlins and the other is the St. Louis Cardinals.
    According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the emergence of rookie catcher Joe Mack has prompted the Marlins to be open to trading Liam Hicks, who has seen more action at designated hitter than catcher in July while also spending a little time at first base this season.
    Hicks, who is under club control through 2030, is slashing .279/.358/.438 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs in 95 games for the Marlins, who Monday ended their franchise-record 12-game losing streak that switched their role from buyer to seller with Monday's trade deadline coming up. In addition to being 9½ games out of the NL East lead, the Marlins went from possessing the No. 3 wild-card spot to now being two games out, but having to surpass five teams to get back into that same position.
    Hicks has started 31 games behind the plate, 18 at first base and 35 at DH.
    If Hicks isn't who the Red Sox are looking for, they could head back to the Cardinals, who shipped right-handed starter Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras to Boston in separate deals with its former front-office boss Chaim Bloom.
    The Cardinals have the top catching prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline, in Rainiel Rodriguez, a 19-year-old who is at Double-A. But ahead of him yet on the Cardinals' depth chart are Pedro Pages and Ivan Herrera. Pages would be more attractive from a defensive standpoint as Herrera does a poor job of controlling the running game. But Pages' problem is offense. He has a .207/.248/.327 slash line with four homers and 11 RBIs in 60 games, while Herrera's slash line is .244/.365/.380 with 12 homers and 44 RBIs in 105 games. Herrera has made 40 of his 105 starts at catcher, with the rest as a designated hitter.
     
     
    Brock Beauchamp
    How To Install On iPhone or iPad
    How To Install On Android Device
    Developing a pure, native app for either Android or iOS is a breathtakingly expensive endeavor, which is why we haven’t done it, despite so many requests over the years. Thankfully, technology has met us halfway, and PWAs (Progressive Web Applications) have reached maturity in the marketplace.
    What is a PWA? It’s effectively a pseudo-app that works much like a native application but doesn’t require tens of thousands of dollars in development to produce. It creates a single browser instance and maintains it as if it were an application. It’s basically a standalone browser tab, dedicated specifically to Talk Sox.
    From this app instance, you can receive notifications; the typical browser interface is removed, and the site is presented clearly, using as much screen real estate as possible, all without sacrificing any functionality. The site is faster, more reliable, and offers more mobile functionality than a standard web browser.
    Additionally, a newer, completely updated Talk Sox is coming later this year, and that will add even more app-like features, making PWA usage even better for all our users.
    With that said, here’s how you turn Talk Sox into an app on your mobile device.
    How To “Install” Talk Sox on iPhone or iPad Using Safari
    First, go to the home page of Talk Sox at https://talksox.com/.
    1. Tap on the ellipses (…) at bottom right of screen.
    2. Tap “Share” in pop-up menu.

    3. Tap “View More”.
    4. Tap “Add To Home Screen”.
    5. Tap “Add”.

    That takes you to your home screen on iOS, where you can move the Talk Sox app around, just as you would any other app.
    Additionally, you can turn on notifications for them. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://talksox.com/notifications/options/.

    How To “Install” Talk Sox on an Android Device Using Chrome
    First, go to the home page of Talk Sox at https://talksox.com/.
    1. Tap on the vertical ellipses (…) at top right of screen.
    2. Tap “Share…” in pop-up menu.

    3. Tap “Add to Home Screen”.
    4. Tap “Install”.

    That takes you to your home screen on Android, where you can move the Talk Sox app around, just as you would any other app.
    Additionally, you can turn on notifications for the site. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://talksox.com/notifications/options/.

    Matthew Lenz
    With shortstop and second base unsettled due to injuries and inconsistent performance, the Boston Red Sox are looking to shore up the middle of their infield. Staying up the middle, they could also look to add behind the plate and on the mound, particularly adding depth to a depleted rotation.
    One option to bridge that gap, who's been on the market, is Luis Castillo of the Seattle Mariners. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com is reporting that the Mariners are willing to eat part of Castillo's contract to help facilitate a deal.
    Castillo, 33, has had a down year, posting a 4.85 ERA (4.37 FIP) with a 12.9% strikeout-minus-walk rate across 94 2/3 innings. This comes after seven consecutive seasons of sub-4 FIPs and five straight seasons of a K-BB north of 15%. Despite all that success, a down 2026, an impending lockout, and a $24+ million salary for the next two years make him a little less attractive on the open market. He also has a vesting option for 2028 that locks in if he reaches the 180 IP mark in 2027. It's not clear if that number gets prorated based on a lockout/shortened season.
    Do you think the Red Sox should make a move for the southpaw? Join the conversation in the comments!
    Steve Drumwright
    The Boston Red Sox are definitely on the hunt for an upgrade at shortstop.
    One of their targets is Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angeles Angels.
    According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Neto was on the Red Sox's radar last offseason, but not to the point where names of prospects or other assets were exchanged. Now, with John Mozeliak recently taking over the Angels' front office at least on an interim basis, the Red Sox have been back in contact.
    The Red Sox are suddenly buyers following a 15-game winning streak that took them from last place in the AL East to currently holding the third and final AL wild-card spot. Neto is making $4,150,000 this year and is under club control for another three years after that. Neto entered Thursday with a slash line of .238/.326/.446 with 19 homers, 46 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.
    Injured starting shortstop Trevor Story is making $25 million this year and next year, with a club option for 2028. Story, out since May 14 due to surgery for a sports hernia, is not expected to start a rehab assignment until August.
    The Red Sox are currently getting by at short with a platoon of Andruw Monasterio and Tsung-Che Cheng.
     
    Seth Stohs
    Justin Gonzales is one of the most exciting Red Sox prospects. He ranks as the fourth-ranked prospect according to Talk Sox rankings. Pushed up the organizational ladder, the 19-year-old has more than held his own in High-A Greeneville. 
    But sometimes we have to remember these are people. In this case, Gonzales is still young, a kid. Mistakes will happen and lesson are hopefully learned. 
    On Wednesday night in Greeneville, the Drive had a 10-6 lead in the bottom of the seventh. With two runners on, Gonzales stepped to the plate and hit his 13th home run of the season. He certainly took his time and admired the blast, especially down the first base line. He was pleased to have turned a four-run lead into a seven-run lead late int he game. When he crossed home plate, it was clear that Hub City catcher Cal Stark commented to Gonzales. 
    The two exchanged some words (pleasantries, I'm sure). Teammates hustled to the batter's circle but just a little too late. Whether you want to say that Gonzales "slapped" Stark or "took a punch at" the Spartansburgers' backstop, he made contact.  See for yourself...
    Certainly, there will be a suspension by the league for this, but the Red Sox also have an opportunity to let a potential future star know that it just isn't alright to be taking swings at opponents. The Sox could add a few games to the suspension. They could go big and suspend him for the rest of the season. Organizations have done that before. 
    With other very young top prospect types on the Drive roster, it feels like the Sox need to make some sort of statement. 
    Of course, it is also 100% need to hear both sides of the story before reacting and finalized a plan. We don't know what was said. It's very possible that something was said that, maybe didn't warrant, but certainly understandable. 
    What do you think? Gonzales is 19. He's in High-A. He isn't an option for a big-league call up, so the remaining six weeks won't alter that timeline either way. What would you do if you ran the Red Sox? (Just regarding this situation. Use the rest of the forum to discuss those other things!) 
    Matthew Lenz
    The Boston Red Sox are in the midst of an impressive win streak as they sprint their way back into the playoff picture. With less than two weeks until deadline day, the Red Sox are now looking like bona fide buyers to continue their impressive run.
    Jeff Passan of ESPN listed the top 100 trade candidates, which included New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. Coming in as the 12th best trade candidate, he listed the Red Sox (along with three others, including two AL East foes) as a "best fit" for the four-time Silver Slugger.
    Lindor, 32, is in the midst of a career-worst season that has been highlighted by a left calf injury that saw him miss two months. When he has been available, he's slashed a paltry .220/.303/.387 (.691 OPS) with just six home runs and two stolen bases. While those numbers are well below his standard and the $32 million salary he's earning, they are only slightly below league average at a 94 wRC+. On the other side of the ball, the two-time Gold Glove winner is still playing a very good shortstop despite the struggles at the plate.
    Lindor has a no-trade clause that would need to be waived and is under contract through 2031, when he would be 37 years old. Passan points out that "in the past 20 years, only twice has a shortstop 35 or older put up a three-win season.
    Do you think the Red Sox should trade for Lindor in hopes of a bounce-back? Join the conversation in the comments!
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    It is no secret that the Boston Red Sox, suddenly a contender with their 14-game winning streak entering play Tuesday, would love to upgrade the catching position.
    So how about snatching one from a fellow AL East team?
    One catcher out on the market, per ESPN's Jeff Passan, is Baltimore Orioles backstop Adley Rutschman. Once the darling of the Orioles' rebuild, Rutschman hasn't been the superstar they envisioned. Passan noted the Red Sox were one of the teams that would be a good fit for Rutschman.
    A switch-hitter, Rutschman has a career slash line of .254/.342/.414. He hit 20 and 19 homers in his second and third seasons in the majors, while drawing AL MVP votes in 2022, when he finished second in AL Rookie of the Year balloting, and 2023.
    But injuries in each of the last two seasons have slowed his production. In 90 games last year, Rutschman slashed .220/.307/.366 with nine homers and 29 RBIs. He has followed that up with a .251/.331/.433 with eight homers and 47 RBIs in 67 games this year before hitting the injured list for the third time this season Monday, this one for inflammation in his left wrist. Still, he represented the Orioles in last week's All-Star Game.
    That injury will keep him out until at least the weekend of the trade deadline, which is Aug. 3. The Orioles have struggled last year and this year and with Samuel Bassallo in the fold long term after signing an extension this year, making Rutschman not as valuable as he once was.
    Still an elite defender, Rutschman is also under club control through the 2027 season, so the Orioles won't be looking to dump him for just anything.
    And especially if the Red Sox come calling, the Orioles will make sure to extract a good price for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft.
    He would certainly be an upgrade over Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong, the Red Sox's current catching tandem.
     
    Nick John
    The Boston Red Sox selected pitcher Lucas Davenport with the 156th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. 
    Davenport pitched two years at Baylor and was a redshirt as a freshman. Overall, he appeared in 29 games and made 13 starts over his two seasons. Davenport follows the mold of pitchers that Craig Breslow likes, standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 230 pounds. 
    Davenport uses his size well and generates great extension and his mechanics creates deception. His fastball sits 93 to 95 mph and has topped out to 98 mph, but the shape could use some tinkering, something the Red Sox have done in the past with pitchers. 
    His secondaries include a mid-80s cutter that has depth and could be a true weapon for him. He's also got a slider, which is his best pitch as it sits 81 to 83 mph and has late lateral break. It won’t produce great chase rates, but he can generate whiffs in the zone with it.
    He also throws a changeup that has amazing depth and could become an above-average offering at the next level. 
    Davenport will be a pet project of Breslow’s pitching lab in an effort to enhance his pitch arsenal. If he can turn his fastball into a more consistent primary offering, he has a good chance to remain as a starter.
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