Third Baseman Ketel Marte Is On the Boston Red Sox's Radar

[Hugh2]

Better 1-2 punch than Tolle-Early

1. Bubba Chandler and Seth Hernandez 

2. Nolan McClean and Jonah Tong

3. Kade Anderson & Ryan Sloan

and possibly a few others……for now

[vjcsmoke]

20 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

We barely have slots for all these guys in rotations across the minors. We need to identify the keepers, do a better job than we did with Priester and do something bold. We have to give to get. We need to move from quantity to quality as we are smack dab in the middle of a promising window. I'm not for trading away the future, but we can mortgage some of it. I'm not for trading them away for one and done players, either.

Again, waiting for JH to open up his wallet might be pointless and a waste of our thoughts and talks. I'd love for that to be our focus, but I'm not hopeful it will be. The only other way to build this team up another notch is by trades. Trading DHam, Wong and Hicks isn't getting us what we need.

Losing Priester was soul crushing. The guy was the #18 overall pick from the 2019 draft and immediately crushes it his rookie season for the Brewers. You have to question the competency of a front office that gives up a frontline starter in exchange for magic beans and a bag of chips.

Talk about a trade that hasn't aged well at all! Article: Red Sox's Quinn Priester trade to Brewers isn't aging well | Sporting News Canada

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, Duran Is The Man said:

no money.  just a mention for assisting one of the principal contributors.

Too bad.  It would've been nice to frame the check.

[moonslav59]

31 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Better 1-2 punch than Tolle-Early

1. Bubba Chandler and Seth Hernandez 

2. Nolan McClean and Jonah Tong

3. Kade Anderson & Ryan Sloan

and possibly a few others……for now

I admit I'm not informed on other teams' top prospects. Are all these guys still prospects?

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Good hell this organization needs some Dave Dombrowski/ AJ Preller type leadership right now..

DD inherited Wheeler, Sanchez, Suarez, Nola, Harper, Stott, Realmuto, and Bohm, and currently has the 2nd highest payroll in baseball, and has averaged 90 wins.

Preller has been in the top 5 in payroll over the past 5 years and has averaged 86.6 wins.

[moonslav59]

14 minutes ago, vjcsmoke said:

Losing Priester was soul crushing. The guy was the #18 overall pick from the 2019 draft and immediately crushes it his rookie season for the Brewers. You have to question the competency of a front office that gives up a frontline starter in exchange for magic beans and a bag of chips.

Talk about a trade that hasn't aged well at all! Article: Red Sox's Quinn Priester trade to Brewers isn't aging well | Sporting News Canada

To talk about not "aging well" after one season kinda brushes by future results.

1. Priester's 4.01 FIP, which is pretty good, might hint that his 3.32 ERA might not be sustainable.

2. While the much-hyped prospect, Y-Rod, dropped in the rankings, John Holobetz looks pretty promising, so let's wait on the "aging well" point a few more years.

That being said, the trade sucked for 2026. We coulda had him instead of Dustin May and other failed starters like Buehler, Newcomb and ...

[JoeBrady]

23 minutes ago, vjcsmoke said:

You have to question the competency of a front office that gives up a frontline starter in exchange for magic beans and a bag of chips.

I'm surprised Cherington is still there.  Skenes was an automatic 1/1, so they get no credit there.  And their other drafts were weak.

[moonslav59]

Highest paid FAs in $M last 5 years...

2025: Soto 765/15, Fried 218/8, Burns 210/6, Snell 182/5. WAdames 182/7, Bregma n 120/3, Santander 93/5

2024: Ohtani 700/10, Yamo 325/12, Nola 172/7, J-H Lee 113/6, Hader 95/5, Bellinger 80/3, ERod 80/4

2023: Judge 360/9, Turner 300/11, Bogey 280/11, Correa 200/6, deGrom 185/5, Swanson 177/7, Rodon 162/6, Nimmo 162/8, E Diaz 102/5, Yoshida 90/5. W contreras 88/5

2022: Seager 325/10, Bryant 182/7, Semien 175/7, Freeman 162/6, Story & Biaz 140/6, Scherzer 130/3, R Ray 115/5, Gausman 110/5, Correa 105/3, Castellanos 100/5

2021: Springer 150/6, Realmuto 115/5, Bauer 102/3, LeMahieu 90/6

How many of these are unqualified successes?

How many are pretty good (so far)?

How many are meh?

How many are busts or look like busts, so far?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Is the alternative any better?

You can shout for a regime change or for JH to spend more, but that's not anything that is likely to happen.

What can Brez do now, with a limited budget?

He has to make trades -- not for the future, but for the now. There's no other way around this if their business plan is to eliminate longterm free agent contracts.

This team isn't good enough -- we're still missing an entire infield, except for a shortstop in his 30s who just had his first healthy season (at least 100 games played) in four years in Boston.

Breslow has smartly stockpiled young pitching, and it's time to use that trade capital to fill all the other holes around the diamond and in the batting order.

It's great to have a couple dozen live arms in the system, but if you're not going to rest half of them for the postseason like only the Dodgers can afford to do, then use those resources accordingly.

[JoeBrady]

57 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Highest paid FAs in $M last 5 years...

2025: Soto 765/15, Fried 218/8, Burns 210/6, Snell 182/5. WAdames 182/7, Bregma n 120/3, Santander 93/5

2024: Ohtani 700/10, Yamo 325/12, Nola 172/7, J-H Lee 113/6, Hader 95/5, Bellinger 80/3, ERod 80/4

2023: Judge 360/9, Turner 300/11, Bogey 280/11, Correa 200/6, deGrom 185/5, Swanson 177/7, Rodon 162/6, Nimmo 162/8, E Diaz 102/5, Yoshida 90/5. W contreras 88/5

2022: Seager 325/10, Bryant 182/7, Semien 175/7, Freeman 162/6, Story & Biaz 140/6, Scherzer 130/3, R Ray 115/5, Gausman 110/5, Correa 105/3, Castellanos 100/5

2021: Springer 150/6, Realmuto 115/5, Bauer 102/3, LeMahieu 90/6

How many of these are unqualified successes?

How many are pretty good (so far)?

How many are meh?

How many are busts or look like busts, so far?

• Busts = 11
• Negatives = 4
• Positives = 8
• Too early or too close for the rest.

[Randy Red Sox]

22 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I don't want to trade young pitching either, but two points:

1. If JH won't spend, and we can wish he does all we want, but if it doesn't happen, now, why will it happen when these young studs mature? Why wish for a future that looks the same as now?

2. We have a ton of ML ready Sp'ers and a ton or promising to very promising pitching prospects. I think we can afford to trade a couple. Just hope the next one is not the next Priester.

Crochet, Gray & Bello are needed.

We can afford to trade 2 or even 3 from this group, especially if we get a better pitcher in return: 

Oviedo, Crawford, Harrison, Dobbins, Uberstine, Drohan, Sandlin

I'd try very hard to not trade Tolle or Early, and maybe not Witherspoon, Fajardo and Valera, too, but we can afford to trade 1 from that group of 3. I say that because I have faith that 2-3 from this next group moves up to where those three are, now:

Bennett, Holobetz, Phillips, Eyanson, Mullins, Watson, Samaniego, Delzine, Monegro, Aita, Cason or a few others.

We barely have slots for all these guys in rotations across the minors. We need to identify the keepers, do a better job than we did with Priester and do something bold. We have to give to get. We need to move from quantity to quality as we are smack dab in the middle of a promising window. I'm not for trading away the future, but we can mortgage some of it. I'm not for trading them away for one and done players, either.

Again, waiting for JH to open up his wallet might be pointless and a waste of our thoughts and talks. I'd love for that to be our focus, but I'm not hopeful it will be. The only other way to build this team up another notch is by trades. Trading DHam, Wong and Hicks isn't getting us what we need.

JH will not authorize CB to sign any long term FA deals.  Take that to the bank.

[moonslav59]

28 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

He has to make trades -- not for the future, but for the now. There's no other way around this if their business plan is to eliminate longterm free agent contracts.

This team isn't good enough -- we're still missing an entire infield, except for a shortstop in his 30s who just had his first healthy season (at least 100 games played) in four years in Boston.

Breslow has smartly stockpiled young pitching, and it's time to use that trade capital to fill all the other holes around the diamond and in the batting order.

It's great to have a couple dozen live arms in the system, but if you're not going to rest half of them for the postseason like only the Dodgers can afford to do, then use those resources accordingly.

This is exactly why I have been suggesting a big trade or even two. 

I'm assuming JH will not be spending large and long.

[Deja Doh]

The problem with most of these lineups  is first base.  Casa blows.  He needs to go.

 

 

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, Deja Doh said:

The problem with most of these lineups  is first base.  Casa blows.  He needs to go.

To me, it's about his health, which is a major concern and might always be one. I agree that we need to add a more sure bet 1Bman, this winter, but to me 2B/3B is the biggest hole we have by position.

A big bat (RH'd or a LHB with great splits) is actually the #1 need, but if he plays 2B or 3B, we'd be fine.

If we won't sign a great bat who plays 2B or 3B, and I'm not sure Bregman & Bichette are big enough bats to work, and Suarez might offer more offense, but to me, K Marte is the best one player addition option.

Two players could be:

2B/3B: Paredez, Bregman, Bichette, Suarez, Donovan

1B: Paredes, Suarez, YDiaz, Contreras

[UtahSox]

3 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

DD inherited Wheeler, Sanchez, Suarez, Nola, Harper, Stott, Realmuto, and Bohm, and currently has the 2nd highest payroll in baseball, and has averaged 90 wins.

Preller has been in the top 5 in payroll over the past 5 years and has averaged 86.6 wins.

DD went to a WS, an NLCS, (2) NLDS and played the Dodgers tough in playoffs last year. Phillies have a 300m salary, way less revenue than RS…… and have had waaaaaaay more success since Dombrowski got there, and he has some really good prospects as well. . So yeah like I said we need some Dombrowski energy right now. 

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

DD went to a WS, an NLCS, (2) NLDS and played the Dodgers tough in playoffs last year. Phillies have a 300m salary, way less revenue than RS…… and have had waaaaaaay more success since Dombrowski got there, and he has some really good prospects as well. . So yeah like I said we need some Dombrowski energy right now. 

DD would not have much energy without some more JH cash.

[Duran Is The Man]

13 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

DD went to a WS, an NLCS, (2) NLDS and played the Dodgers tough in playoffs last year. Phillies have a 300m salary, way less revenue than RS…… and have had waaaaaaay more success since Dombrowski got there, and he has some really good prospects as well. . So yeah like I said we need some Dombrowski energy right now. 

i miss Dave.

[moonslav59]

I miss major FA additions.

[JoeBrady]

59 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

DD would not have much energy without some more JH cash.

Assuming the Phillies re-sign Realmuto, they will be in the $320-325M range.  That extra $100M would sure come in handy.

[moonslav59]

27 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Assuming the Phillies re-sign Realmuto, they will be in the $320-325M range.  That extra $100M would sure come in handy.

What would DD do differently than Brez, with the Sox and the same limited budget?

He might have done better than Buehler, but what about Bregman, Chapman, Wilson and the Crochet trade/extension. What if he has signed Burns or Snell?

[UtahSox]

35 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

What would DD do differently than Brez, with the Sox and the same limited budget?

By far the biggest thing would be push ownership to spend! Via business plans, communication and vision. Not trading for 62 pitchers and none of them w/ TOTR stuff. 

[moonslav59]

11 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

By far the biggest thing would be push ownership to spend! Via business plans, communication and vision. Not trading for 62 pitchers and none of them w/ TOTR stuff. 

I seriously doubt he could talk JH into spending more. He was nearly forced to trade Betts in 2019, but the team started winning.

He failed to convince JH to spend on Kimbrel and Kelly or their replacements after 2018.

I don't think it's tha simple.

[JoeBrady]

29 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

By far the biggest thing would be push ownership to spend! Via business plans, communication and vision. Not trading for 62 pitchers and none of them w/ TOTR stuff. 

I agree with the spending thing.  It is his #2 superpower.  That said, the marginal revenue/expense works differently.  Philly added a million additional ticket sales.  That extra $100M in revenue fuels the extra $100M in payroll.  At Fenway, maybe you sell another $25M in tickets.

IRT to the pitching, Mr. Walker says hello.

[Hugh2]

Sounds like the Sox are pulling out of trade talks for Marte

[UtahSox]

19 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Sounds like the Sox are pulling out of trade talks for Marte

Where you seeing that?

[moonslav59]

I still think KMarte is our best shot at a major gain with one guy added.

I think we need Duran's bat, so maybe AZ wants Rafaela plus ____. I hope it's not Tolle or Early, but I'm not sure we can pull it off with Rafaela, Crawford & Harrison. Maybe they want Romy or Arias or someone like Valera or Witherspoon, if we don't give them Tolle or Early. 

Not many 4 or 5 for one deals like Crochet's was, these days.

[notin]

On 12/21/2025 at 5:35 PM, moonslav59 said:

What would DD do differently than Brez, with the Sox and the same limited budget?

Trade Early, Tolle and Rafaela?

Hed get back something good no doubt.  But in the absence of money, he has never been shy about trading his farm…

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

Trade Early, Tolle and Rafaela?

Hed get back something good no doubt.  But in the absence of money, he has never been shy about trading his farm…

DD didn't trade all his prospects (Devers, Beni) when he was here and hasn't done that with the Phillies. With the limited budget, he may be less apt to trade everything as he'd have to grow the team internally like when he was with the Expos. 

[moonslav59]

38 minutes ago, notin said:

Trade Early, Tolle and Rafaela?

Hed get back something good no doubt.  But in the absence of money, he has never been shy about trading his farm…

He probably would have traded more top prospects, but Brez has already traded more top 20 prospects than DD did, at this point in his time with BOS.

[notin]

34 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

DD didn't trade all his prospects (Devers, Beni) when he was here and hasn't done that with the Phillies. With the limited budget, he may be less apt to trade everything as he'd have to grow the team internally like when he was with the Expos. 

And trading Tolle and Early doesnt constitute trading “all the Sox prospects.”

He has absolutely gone down the road of trading prospects in the past.  That’s not up for debate.  At least not a good debate.  He’s also had success doing it, so of course he would do it again.  
 

Not sure if he has that option with Philly, but he hadn’t needed it yet because he has financial free rein.  So what he would do with a limited budget is guesswork at best. (Although given his history, trading prospects is not a bad guess.)  

But if they ever did put a halt on his spending, are you saying he still wouldn’t trade prospects to help his team?  Would he stand pat? Or just quit and apply for a job with the Mets?  I think he might have too much payroll commitment and recent success to go into Montreal Rebuilding Mode…