4 potential trade targets for the Red Sox ahead of Winter Meetings

As the dust settled on the second season in a row where the Red Sox finished in last place, the message, from ownership to newly minted CBO Craig Breslow, was clear: things needed to change.

During his introductory press conference, Breslow made it clear that difficult decisions would have to be made this winter, some of which involve trading fan-favorite players and prospects in an attempt to improve the roster.

""Part of building a consistent winner at the major league level is making a lot of bold, difficult decisions, and some of those include favorite players.""

- Craig Breslow

While it's impossible to determine the specific targets the Red Sox are pursuing at this early stage, here are four trade options that could immediately enhance the Red Sox roster.

Juan Soto

The Padres are expected to slash payroll heading into 2024, and Juan Soto's projected $33 million arbitration figure is anticipated to fuel trade rumors for much of the offseason, making it the focal point of the offseason alongside the Ohtani sweepstakes.

Soto's resume speaks for itself. The 25-year-old has amassed three All-Star appearances, four Silver Slugger awards, and a World Series ring in his first six MLB seasons. He has shown no signs of slowing down, posting a 5.5 bWAR in his most recent season with the Padres proving to be possibly the best position player available this winter.

While the price may be steep, it's hard to see a much better fit for the Red Sox than Soto. They not only have the prospect capital to swing a trade for the Padres slugger but also the payroll flexibility to extend him as well.