As the Boston Red Sox have seemingly turned a corner and found themselves navigating through the crowded American League field to sit in a Wild Card position, their exact plan at the deadline is still a bit of a mystery.
Clearly, the team isn't throwing in the towel, and its taken some of its most desirable trade assets, like Jarren Duran, off the table. That development is sending seismic ripples through the trade market, but does it really change all that much for Boston?
The Red Sox would be wise to avoid rentals at the deadline with the understanding that this is still a young club that's on the rise, and the future isn't worth risking for just one season. To that end, an approach of buying and selling still might make the most sense as long as the players being bought are around for the future and the players being sold have no place on the team beyond 2025.
To that end, these three Red Sox might not be as safe as they believed after the club's turnaround, and could find themselves suiting up elsewhere for the remainder of 2025.
Three Red Sox players who aren't as safe as they thought they were with the trade deadline approaching
Aroldis Chapman
Aroldis Chapman has been superb this season with what would be a career-best 1.30 ERA on the season. That might make dealing the Cuban Missile seem unlikely, but relievers are volatile as Chapman himself has proven that more than anyone over the years.
Perhaps most important are recent developments in the relief pitching market that could allow the Red Sox to cash in. Many top contenders need help at the back end of the bullpens, and with Felix Bautista of the Baltimore hitting the IL and the Emmanuel Clase bombshell that has his status in doubt moving forward, the options are dwindling by the minute.
That could put Boston in a position to pull in quite the haul by moving Chapman, whose contract expires at the end of the season and turns 38 ahead of the 2026 campaign, making him unlikely to be a long-term piece for the Sox.
Rob Refsnyder
After flaming out with the Yankees and bouncing around the league for a bit, Rob Refsnyder has had a nice run over the past few seasons in Boston. 2025 is no exception with the 34-year-old putting up an impressive .270/.359/.484 slash line in 48 games this season.
The thing is, as a right-handed hitter, Refsnyder only really works as the less frequently called-upon half of a platoon, and as an impending free agent, his time in Boston might be limited. He won't return the greatest set of assets in a trade, but it's better to receive something than let him walk for nothing at season's end. Lastly, the priority should be decluttering the position player mix to get the pieces of the future the greatest opportunities at the expense of veteran stopgaps. For that reason, Refsnyder might be shown the door.
Walker Buehler
The Walker Buehler experience in Boston hasn't been as disastrous as it might seem at first glance. Yes, the 31-year-old has a 5.72 ERA on the year, but the number is decently inflated by a ghastly 11.20 mark in June. That's not to say that the first two months of the season were rosy because Buehler was definitely below average then as well.
However, in July, he started to hit his stride with a 3.57 ERA on the month. Everyone also knows exactly what the veteran right-hander can do under the bright October lights. Still, there's little chance Boston picks up his $25 million option, and a decent shot the club investigates other starting pitching alternatives in the offseason.
With a lack of aces on the market, Buehler's past performance, big game pedigree, and recent turnaround could make him attractive as a lightning-in-a-bottle type trade target. His former club, for example, could certainly use his services given the way injuries have decimated their rotation this season. More importantly, trading Buehler would be more about getting something for a guy the Red Sox will otherwise likely let walk for nothing in the offseason.