The Boston Red Sox have entered yet another offseason with a complicated situation in their middle infield. The Red Sox need to find positions for Trevor Story, Curtis Mead and likely, top prospect Franklin Arias.
Boston got next to no reliable production from its middle infield in 2026 after Story spent nearly another full season on the injured list, Marcelo Mayer failed to live up to expectations and Mead's wrist was fractured in his second at-bat as a Red Sox. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Anthony Seigler and Andruw Monasterio are not long-term solutions.
After a breakout 2026 season, Arias looks ready to take the next step and make his major league debut. The soon-to-be 21-year-old is a shortstop and a superior defender to Story in recent years, but the Red Sox have been annoyingly committed to keeping Story at shortstop, so many fans aren't optimistic about seeing Arias there this season.
Story has only once earned his spot at shortstop, though. In 2025, he played 157 games and led the team with 25 home runs, but he's posted just 247 games combined in all his other years. Arias' emergence could be the thing that finally forces Boston to trade story, and insider Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic proposed it could do so by packaging him with a top prospect, namely Justin Gonzales or Franklin Primera (subscription required).
Red Sox shouldn't waste perfectly good trade chips Justin Gonzales or Franklin Primera on dumping Trevor Story
But, like signing Story five years ago, that would be a questionable decision. Story's contract has been one of the worst in recent Red Sox memory, and maybe one of the worst in the league recently, and burning a top prospect on him wouldn't make anyone feel better.
Gonzales and Primera had breakout years in the Sox's farm system and they found their way up to the No, 2 and No. 4 spots, respectively in Boston's top 30. Gonzales is just 19 years old and reached Double-A this season thanks to his otherworldly power potential. Primera spent half his season in rookie ball but batted .329/.466/.494 over 46 games when he reached Single-A Salem. Plus, he plays a premier position at catcher.
Holding on to prospects doesn't win major league baseball games and finding production in the middle infield should be a priority for Boston. But not only should the Red Sox avoid burning more resources on Story, Gonzales and Primera could be better used elsewhere. They could either be future stars or trade pieces in a trade deal that actually makes Boston better — any team in the league would want Gonzales or Primera, or maybe even both, in their farm system.
The Red Sox depleted much of their high end trade pieces last offseason and at the trade deadline. Arias, Gonzales, Primera and Juan Valera are the best prospect talent they have to offer and only one of them is anywhere near the major leagues. Boston trading one of them to dump Story when its lineup has glaring issues would be a horrible idea.
The Red Sox made their bed with the Story contract and now they have to lie in it. He's owed over $23 million in 2027 and they're better off paying it, whether he's on the roster or not, than burning a perfectly good trade chip just to dump Story.
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