The truck has left Boston and is on its way to Fort Myers. That means spring training is just around the corner, yet the Red Sox still haven't finished their roster. There are a few positions of need left, and not much time to fill them.
Rumors continue to swirl around the ball club about action on the trade market to fix its needs. While players fans had been targeting as fixes continue to find new homes, some remain available.
A trade could come before the first pitch of spring, but the team could also wait until some games are played to get a feeling of where players already in the organization stand. A few games may also help boost the stock of some players on the trade market.
3 biggest trade chips for the Red Sox at spring training 2026
Patrick Sandoval
The veteran lefty is going to be constantly rumored as a trade chip until the start of the season. Now a year and a half removed from Tommy John surgery, the 29-year-old has one year left on the contract he signed with Boston. Any team acquiring him would only be taking on $12 million.
Sandoval does have a minor league option remaining, according to FanGraphs, so the Sox don't have to shoehorn him onto the opening day roster, but they still have a wealth of starting pitchers. He could be a cheap, high-upside starter for a needy team. A few outings in spring training could be all a team needs to pick up the phone and ask about him.
Brayan Bello
The Red Sox continue to receive interest in their rotation depth, per @jcmccaffrey. Nothing is imminent, but they’ve been “active” in trade talks for an infielder.
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) January 30, 2026
Brayan Bello, Patrick Sandoval, and Jordan Hicks are listed as names that have come up in talks so far. pic.twitter.com/LkUed0sgg2
The closer opening day gets, the less likely it seems that Bello will be on the move, but his name has not left the rumor mill yet. While he won't be proving much this spring, the likelier scenario is that a team loses a pitcher in the top three of their rotation and Bello becomes their replacement.
Craig Breslow has seemed open to moving Bello this offseason (subscription required). He isn't the cheapest option (about $12.5 million AAV for acquiring team), but another team may like his proven track record, upward trajectory, and long-term control. The Sox have added a lot of MLB-caliber pitchers this offseason to afford trading him.
Mikey Romero
The former first-round pick received a non-roster invite to MLB spring training and will get a chance to play against MLB pitchers for the first time. If he performs well, he has a chance to raise his stock significantly in a potential last-minute move for a starting second baseman. Boston doesn't have many high-ranking position player prospects in the upper minors, but if Romero can raise his stock enough, he could be an asset Breslow uses to make the current team better.