Red Sox could make a play for unlikely trade candidate to solve first base woes

By now, Boston Red Sox fans are familiar with the team's glaring hole at first base. Triston Casas has long been expected to be the answer to that problem, but injuries have completely derailed a once-promising career.

After three straight years of posting a wRC+ above 120, the 25-year-old managed a paltry 56 mark in 2025 before a ruptured left patellar tendon ended his season prematurely in early May. Casas sounds convinced that he'll be ready to go come Opening Day 2026, but the Red Sox can't pencil him in as a surefire roster option, let alone the cold corner starter, at this point in time.

Their other in-house solutions to this problem aren't exactly inspiring, either. Romy Gonzalez was impressive at the plate in 2025, though he's best suited for a utility platoon role. Nathaniel Lowe had his moments after joining the team in August, but declining defense and power numbers make the 30-year-old a dubious proposition at best.

The free-agent market does present some interesting alternatives — Pete Alonso standing chief among them — though most are older guys likely to command the types of contracts the Red Sox have typically reserved for extensions.

So, then, what about the trade market? It's not quite as robust as the rumored list of available starting pitchers, but there's some talent to be had at first base, especially if someone like Nolan Arenado is willing to make the switch across the diamond.

However, Joel Sherman opened up a new possibility that's hard to ignore, especially if Boston is looking to go big-game hunting this winter: Bryce Harper.

Red Sox, Bryce Harper union is flashy, but would be hard to pull off

Harper's rumored availability stems from Dave Dombrowski's comments about the first baseman's 2025 campaign, in which he said that Harper, while still an All-Star, might no longer be the elite player he once was.

Though he later walked those remarks back, the damage was done. Harper is reportedly upset with the Philadelphia Phillies' president of baseball operations and he could be looking for a way out of town after the Phillies failed to advance beyond the NLDS for the second straight year.

It's true that the 33-year-old Harper is no longer quite effective as his MVP self, but a .261/.357/.487 (131 wRC+) batting line dwarfs what the Red Sox got out of first base in 2025 (.244/.305/.386, 86 wRC+).

Harper has also become a quality defender at first base since shifting in from the outfield, accruing eight Outs Above Average, four Fielding Run Value, and two Defensive Runs Saved since the start of 2024 (over 2,300 innings at first base).

The real problem is Harper's contract, which still has six years and more than $153 million remaining. A $25.38 million AAV isn't crippling, though the deal runs through Harper's age-39 season. It's highly likely he'll remain effective enough to justify that kind of payday in 2031.

That deal (and Harper's no-trade clause) would push the acquisition cost down, which matters. But the Red Sox have been very careful about the future of their payroll in anticipation of a 2027 lockout, and Harper's age and money could dissuade them from pulling the trigger on a blockbuster trade.

Even if Harper doesn't end up being the solution to the first base problem, the Red Sox need to explore all options this offseason. They can't continue to field an offensive black hole at such an important position if they hope to seriously compete in the coming years, and barring a miraculous comeback from Casas, a blockbuster move may be the best path forward.