3 fan-favorites who the Red Sox could trade this offseason
Could Craig Breslow ruffle some feathers in his first winter as the Red Sox' Chief Baseball Officer?
Baseball is a business. Everyone knows this, yet it can be a difficult concept to grapple with. Far too often, fanbases feel betrayed by their teams’ front offices when a popular player is traded away.
Boston Red Sox fans are no strangers to this frustration. The last half-decade has seen the club lose a plethora of homegrown talent, including Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Christian Vazquez, among others.
Here are three more fan-favorite players who could be traded this winter.
Alex Verdugo
Verdugo has continued to be mentioned as a trade candidate ever since last July when the Red Sox explored deals surrounding the everyday outfielder. Nothing came to fruition, but the idea of a trade remains quite possible as we enter the winter months, especially with a new Chief Baseball Officer leading the front office.
We’ve already heard this offseason that three National League clubs could strike a deal for Verdugo, and he’s also been linked to the rival New York Yankees. The 27-year-old is an intriguing target for contenders after slashing .264/.324/.421 with 2.0 fWAR, a 7.5 percent walk rate, and a 15.4 percent strikeout rate.
Losing Verdugo, however, could create chaos within Red Sox Nation. While not entirely comparable, such a deal would loosely mirror the first winter of Chaim Bloom’s tenure when he sent Mookie Betts to the Dodgers for a package that included Verdugo.
Jarren Duran
Red Sox fans became frustrated with Jareen Duran in 2022. His offensive output was minimal and his effort on defense dwindled at times. The front office was equally concerned by the former top prospect. He was optioned to Triple-A twice during the second half of that season and was not a lock to make the 2023 Opening Day roster.
Indeed, despite a strong Spring Training in which he accrued a .455 OBP and walked more than he struck out, Duran opened 2023 at Triple-A. Within three weeks, though, he was promoted to the majors and instantly went on a tear. The former seventh-round pick slashed .396/.415/.646 with two stolen bases in April.
Duran ultimately finished 15th in the American League in doubles (34) and 13th in stolen bases (24). He also made enormous strides defensively, increasing his UZR from -7.1 in 2022 to -1.7 in 2023. He looked far more comfortable in center field and at the plate.
However, there is still a chance that Duran gets traded. The Boston outfield has suddenly become quite crowded. Verdugo has an everyday role and Masataka Yoshida will patrol left field when he’s not at designated hitter. Rob Refsnyder, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu will also figure into the equation, making it hard to find a steady role for Duran.
Bobby Dalbec
Much like Duran, Dalbec is another former top prospect who doesn’t have a steady role in the Red Sox’ lineup. He has shuttled between Triple-A and the majors plenty of times, and while he’s enjoyed success at Worcester, he’s been far less productive at the big-league level.
Boston was reportedly shopping Dalbec as far back as Spring Training last year when they deployed him at various positions to increase his trade value. Yet, he stayed with the club, ultimately logging innings at first base, third base, shortstop, and right field while in Worcester. In the majors, he played all four infield positions.
The Red Sox’ only real infield need right now is at second base, where Dalbec has limited experience. He’s a “Four-A” player in the organization but could provide additional contributions with a different club. It seems like these two parties are headed for a split and the Red Sox are just waiting to find the right trading partner.
The topic of “the right trading partner” is an interesting one. Every team could use depth, but which ones are willing to part with something more than cash considerations or a player to be named later? When trading away Dalbec, Boston would love to add bullpen depth, a second baseman at the higher levels of the minors, or a starting pitching prospect.