The Boston Red Sox's outfield has been the subject of dozens of trade rumors so far in this young offseason and in the months before. Roman Anthony is set to join the Red Sox's outfield for a full season, and the former top prospect will demand everyday playing time. But so will Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela.
Those four aren't the only players in Boston's outfield mix. Top prospect Jhostynxon Garcia could need innings in the major leagues in 2026, along with Masataka Yoshida, Kristian Campbell, and maybe even Rob Refsnyder, who has already had some reunion talks with the Red Sox.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow hasn't outlined specific trade candidates, but the outfield is an easy place to find some, given the logjam. Breslow has been honest that the Red Sox can't afford to limit themselves in trade discussions, which has some fans concerned about some moves they could make.
MLB insider Jeff Passan is "almost certain" that the Red Sox will deal either Abreu or Duran this coming winter. They make the most sense as trade candidates since both Rafaela and Anthony are under contract long-term, and their names have appeared in trade rumors multiple times before.
Now, the Red Sox have to decide which player they'll trade, and which they'll keep around. Abreu and Duran are valuable for different reasons, and the various teams that approach Boston to trade will decide which one they like more. But for the Red Sox's future, Abreu should be the one who stays in Boston.
Which outfielder should the Red Sox trade from their logjam — Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu?
Duran regressed in multiple categories from 2024, when he placed eighth in American League MVP voting, to 2025. He slashed .285/.342/.492 with an .834 OPS in 2024 compared to .256/.332/.442 with a .774 OPS last season. In 2024, he led MLB with 48 doubles and tied for the lead with 14 triples, but he didn't lead the league in any offensive metric in 2025. He also stole 10 fewer bases in 2025, although the league could've adjusted to him after his breakout season.
Abreu has never fared as well offensively as Duran did in 2024, but his power streak helped keep the Red Sox afloat in 2025. Abreu mashed 22 homers over 115 games, the second-most on the team behind Trevor Story, who hit 25 home runs. Boston ranked 27th in the league in home runs over the second half of the season — any and all power it can maintain for the future will help in the chase for a division title, especially in the same division as the Yankees and Blue Jays, who slug with the best of them.
Abreu has also been elite defensively over his two full seasons with the Red Sox. He's netted two Gold Gloves in one of the most difficult right fields to defend in the major leagues. Rafaela also won a Gold Glove and Anthony posted above average defense in his 71 games on the roster — a sturdy outfield defense will help keep runs off the board, and it should be as reliable as possible, given the instability of the infield.
Abreu and Duran both have skills the Red Sox need, but there's only room for three players in the outfield each game. Duran's speed and athleticism are always a threat on both sides of the ball, but Abreu's slugging and defensive skills are more aligned with Boston's current needs. The Red Sox have the money to address those needs externally this offseason, however, so the offseason's trade candidate could be determined by the suitor they find to trade with.
Above all, Duran has been the most common Red Sox player named in trade speculations for the last few seasons. Clubs around MLB have expressed interest in him on multiple occasions, and if his value is still high enough to net a solid return, he could very well don a different unifom on Opening Day.