3 players whose Red Sox future could be cut short after Winter Meetings

Pablo Reyes

The likelihood of Boston adding one infielder this offseason remains high as they look to solidify their depth and perhaps make a splash at second base. However, the club already has a crowded infield. If they sign one middle infielder, they would likely be forced to move on from another.

Reyes would be removed from the 40-man roster before Trevor Story, Enmanuel Valdez, or David Hamilton. He could have some appeal on the trade market, though, especially after slashing .287/.339/.377 in 2023 with a .317 xwOBA, 7.6 percent walk rate, and 11.4 percent strikeout rate in 2023.

One benefit of trading Reyes is that he could have a wide variety of potential suitors. Although the market for Verdugo is presumably limited to contenders, Reyes would fit on any of the 30 MLB teams. He's versatile and comes cheap enough that even non-contenders would be happy to add someone of his caliber to fill out their roster.

It's worth noting that the Red Sox don't have to rush a Reyes trade. They have three open spots on their 40-man roster, so they wouldn't need to move someone like Reyes until they make at least four more additions. As the other 29 teams come to realize that the crop of free agent infielders is quite barren, a swap involving Reyes could come to fruition.