The Boston Red Sox have struggled lately. With injuries to both corner infielders taking their toll on the lineup and defense, Boston has been looking for answers both internally and beyond (calling up utility players and trading for Ryan Noda from the Angels) to cover first. Third base duties look to fall largely upon the talents of super-youngster Marcelo Mayer, a call up that could upset the roster balance for a number of other players.
The Sox’s pitching core is also standing on shaky ground, as Boston has consistently let one-run games slip through its fingers this season. But with their playoff aspirations still intact, the Red Sox should be buyers as the deadline approaches. Relievers are likely to be high on Craig Breslow’s shopping list. These are three potential names to bring new energy and depth to the roster.
3 reliever targets for the Red Sox if they're buyers at the trade deadline
Andrew Kittredge, Orioles
Andrew Kittredge offers an interesting right-handed option out of the bullpen. His debut this season came late after recovering from knee surgery, but his sinker-slider combination remains a dangerous asset. At 35, Kittredge is contracted for just one year in Baltimore, so a selling Orioles organization might be fairly well inclined to move this bullpen piece in search of tools for next season. Boston has experienced an intriguing ability to draw out excellent performance from aging talent as of late, as well (like Aroldis Chapman’s return to scorching fastball form).
Adding to the value a trade with Baltimore might provide, Ryan O’Hearn is in the last year of his contract, too—an average defender but pelting balls to the tune of a .340 batting average and 181 OPS+. If woes continue to follow the Sox around at first base, a package deal with this AL East competitor might end up being quite beneficial.
Dennis Santana, Pirates
Paul Skenes remains an ascendant talent that Pittsburgh will likely look to trade eventually. But the Pirates’ bullpen also features some impressive arms that could be on the move soon. There’s no doubt about the team’s position ahead of the trade deadline, the Pirates are perennial sellers for the time being, and one of the pitchers who will almost certainly be hanging up their black and gold jersey is Dennis Santana. Spotrac lists his 2025 salary at $1.4 million, and he is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season. Pittsburgh will want to squeeze value out of the righty before he moves on to greener pastures in free agency.
Santana has appeared in 23 games, throwing 22.1 innings to the tune of a 1.61 ERA with 18 strikeouts notched and no home runs given up. With Justin Slaten (the righty in Boston's endgame mix) struggling as of late, Santana could prove a major upgrade in high-leverage situations and to close things out when Chapman is unavailable or a righty is needed on the mound.
Cam Booser, White Sox
Bringing Cam Booser back to Boston might be an interesting turn of events. The lefty spent the 2024 season with the Sox after a call-up in May to cement his meteoric return to baseball (and marking his MLB debut at 32). He posted a 3.38 ERA across 43 appearances for Boston last year. With the White Sox in 2025, Booser has come in to pitch for 20 innings across 24 games. His ERA is up (5.40), but his strikeout and walk rates are relatively stable.
Booser’s status as a sophomore reliever at the big league level means that his contract is significantly reduced in comparison to other options on the market with solid team control to boot. He’s a player who thoroughly enjoyed his time in Boston, and a reunion with Booser might be a great option to add left-handed depth to the bullpen at a relatively low cost. His inflated ERA suggests that his stock might be lower than where it stood in the offseason when Boston traded him to Chicago. But his passion for the organization could be just the spark necessary to bring out the best in his game.