The Boston Red Sox kicked the trade deadline off early by trading to bring breakout Washington Nationals slugger Curtis Mead to their infield. In doing so, Craig Breslow landed a great fit for Fenway Park for years to come — the 2027 season is Mead's final year of arbitration and he's under contract until 2031.
If Mead continues his breakout with Boston and works as well at Fenway as the Red Sox expect, the trade could be one of the deadline's best. A few of the most coveted long-term candidates have been removed from the market for various reasons, including Shea Langeliers and Hunter Goodman, making Boston's push for Mead look even smarter.
The Red Sox may have some other long-term trade deadline candidates on their radar, who could help them in more than just the second half of 2026 (subscription required). These are some appealing non-rental player options who suit the Sox's needs this year and into the future.
3 trade deadline acquisitions Red Sox, Craig Breslow can target for 2027 and beyond
Zach Neto
The Los Angeles Angels' star shortstop is one of the best players available at the deadline, meaning his market will be highly competitive. That coupled with the three years of control remaining on his contract will make him one of the most expensive players available.
But the high price may be worth it. Neto is batting .235/.326/.440 with 21 doubles, three triples and 19 home runs over 103 games. Neto's 28.4 pull AIR percentage makes him an ideal fit for Fenway Park.
There are also some concerns with his profile. Neto's 146 strikeouts lead the American League and his defense is questionable, at best, to the tune of nine outs below average this year. But his power plays well enough in Boston that he's a worthy candidate for the right price.
José Soriano
José Soriano, another Angel, could be a solid fit with the Sox ahead of the deadline. Soriano is right-handed, and since Sonny Gray is the only healthy righty in Boston's rotation, it needs that kind of depth. Garrett Crochet has been injured for most of the season with no timeline for his return and Connelly Early was shipped to the Washington Nationals for Mead. Soriano could be a great addition to the back end of the Sox's rotation.
Soriano started the season on an amazing streak, with a 0.84 ERA over seven starts through April 28. He's since come back down to earth but his 3.29 ERA and 127 strikeouts over 123 innings would be more than welcome on Boston's pitching staff. Soriano is under contract until after the 2028 season so he won't be a cheap addition, but the Red Sox have enough quality pitching prospects to send to Anaheim without fear.
CJ Abrams
The Red Sox are reportedly all over the shortstop market and another deal with the Nationals isn't out of the question after the Mead-Early swap. The Sox have previously been linked to CJ Abrams and he could be another solid fit in their middle infield.
Abrams is under contract for the same amount of time as Soriano, until after the 2028 season. The lefty shortstop is batting .295/.368/.570 with 21 doubles, two triples, 27 home runs and 82 RBI through 103 games. He's fresh off National League Player of the Week honors and he's slashing .322/.367/.722 in the last month. Like Neto, there are some concerns with his defense, but he could easily move to second base and open shortstop for Marcelo Mayer or Franklin Arias in the future.
Add us as a preferred source on Google