Boston Red Sox fans aren't happy with how 2026 is going so far, which makes them more susceptible than normal to juicy trade buzz. Enter Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres, who has recently been thrown into trade rumors by MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds. This surprising development led the Red Sox's own NESN publication to wonder aloud why Boston shouldn't go after Tatis if and when he becomes available.
Reynolds, appearing on MLB Network, theorized that the Padres are giving Tatis starts at second base (a new position) to show off his trade value to potential suitors. According to Reynolds, San Diego has a ballooning payroll that isn't sustainable, aligning with Reynolds' theory that the Padres are looking to move Tatis sooner rather than later.
NESN's Aaliyan Mohammad speculated that Boston could play Tatis at second base and slide Marcelo Mayer back over to third base, where Mayer made 28 starts in 2025.
Boston's entire infield — other than Willson Contreras — isn't hitting much at all to begin 2026. Entering April, Mayer was slashing .188/ .259/ .313/ .572 with one home run and three RBI. Trevor Story had driven in 17 runs, but he also led the Red Sox in strikeouts (24) and owned a yucky slash line of .208/.222/.338/.560. Then there's Caleb Durbin, whose struggles have thrown Red Sox Nation into a collective rage: .127/.226/.164/.389 with nine total bases in 55 at-bats. Durbin would be the odd man out of Boston's lineup if it trades for Tatis.
"We're being reminded of how great this guy is."
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 14, 2026
- Harold Reynolds on Fernando Tatis Jr. shifting to second base for the Padres pic.twitter.com/rgu05pO766
The Red Sox could definitely work Fernando Tatis Jr. into their lineup
The Red Sox have absolutely no room for another outfielder right now. If they were to make a big splash for a bat before the trade deadline, it would likely be an infielder. Could Tatis and his newly unearthed infield capabilities be that guy for Boston? Yeah, why not?
There are money questions to consider. If the Red Sox did acquire Tatis, they'd be taking on a large amount of future salary. In addition to his $20.7 million owed this season, Tatis is owed a combined $217.7 million through the 2034 season (when Tatis will be 35 years old).
That's a boatload of money for an organization that's taken its foot off the gas with expenditures in recent years (as compared to the 2000s and early 2010s, anyway). But if Boston had interest in making a big investment in a single superstar, Tatis might be one of the names worth looking at. He's at the start of his athletic prime right now, and his right-handed bat would be lethal at Fenway Park.
Moreover, if Boston acquired Tatis and things didn't work out perfectly for him in the infield, the Red Sox could always finally decide to trade one of their non-Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu outfielders (Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, or Masataka Yoshida) to reconfigure things in the outfield for Tatis and get a nice return on the deal in the process.
This is all extremely theoretical thinking. But Red Sox fans are currently in that mood as their squad looks miles away from contention status.
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