Mere hours from the MLB trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox (and many other teams) haven't made any moves. They're still persistent in trade rumors — some great and some less so.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Boston will prioritize starting pitching additions, but other areas of need include first base and catching depth behind Carlos Narváez. The Red Sox have to improve enough to stick it out in the American League East alongside the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays, which will be a big ask.
Here are some Red Sox and AL East trade rumors Boston fans want to see, and some that could ruin the trade deadline.
2 trade rumors Red Sox fans hope come true
Red Sox trade for Dalton Rushing
Connor Wong is having a disastrous season and it didn't take long for him to lose the starting catching job to Narváez. Wong is batting just .151/.231/.161 with one extra-base hit and one RBI in 37 appearances this season.
The Dodgers may be willing to trade young catcher Dalton Rushing before the trade deadline, and he'd be a better fit than Wong behind the plate. Rushing, a 24-year-old rookie, is slashing .200/.270/.275 in 29 games this season. The latest reporting suggests LA isn't inclined to trade Rushing, but if the Sox dangled Jarren Duran or a few top prospects, it may not be able to resist.
Yankees trade for David Hamilton
The rumor that the Yankees may be interested in trading for David Hamilton has generated laughter and hope in Red Sox fans everywhere. Hamilton is batting just .179/.229/.276 in 64 appearances for Boston this season. He would bring a new level of speed and athleticism to New York's underwhelming presence on the bases, but would be of no help offensively. If the Yankees want to take Hamilton off the Sox's hands, they should have no issue making a deal.
3 trade rumors Red Sox fans hope don't come true
Red Sox trade for Dustin May or Shane Bieber
Dustin May and Shane Bieber have been mentioned as potential fits for the Red Sox's starting rotation, but neither should be the type of arm they're looking for. Both are bouncing back from serious injuries — May underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and an esophageal tear repair in 2024, and Bieber is still on the 60-day injured list and recovering from his 2024 Tommy John surgery.
The Red Sox have signed plenty of rehabbing pitchers since Breslow took over, and none have panned out as expected. Lucas Giolito and Walker Buehler are wildly inconsistent on the mound, Liam Hendriks has been on the IL for weeks, and Patrick Sandoval's delayed recovery will keep him from pitching at all this season. Boston needs healthy, proven arms to stay afloat in the AL East, and May and Bieber are wild cards on which it can't afford to take a risk.
Red Sox trade Jarren Duran for Dylan Cease
Early in the week of the trade deadline, rumors surfaced that the Padres offered the Red Sox Dylan Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas, and another unnamed prospect for Duran. Boston quickly declined, as it should have.
Despite his regression from last season, Duran is worth more than San Diego offered (depending on who the unnamed prospect was). Cease is a rental pitcher having a down season, and Salas is far from MLB-ready and weak offensively. The three and a half years remaining on Duran's contract should net the Red Sox better immediate help than what the Padres offered.
Padres trade Dylan Cease to American League East rival
The Red Sox declined a trade for Cease, but that doesn't mean the Blue Jays and Yankees would. The righty has posted a rough season so far (4.79 ERA), but he was an ace the last time he pitched in the AL. Cease posted a 2.20 ERA with 227 strikeouts in 184 innings in his final season with the White Sox in 2022, and earned Cy Young votes for his work.
If New York or Toronto improves its rotation and the Red Sox can't match up, it could be deadly for their chances in the division. If either team trades for Cease, Boston needs to make a comparable or better addition to keep pace.