The Boston Red Sox are in the market for a veteran infielder and a slugger to improve upon their 2025 playoff appearance. They've been linked to a few candidates that could address both their needs at once, such as Pete Alonso, but a new option may have emerged on the trade market.
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported on November 20 that the Texas Rangers could seek to reduce their payroll for the coming season (subscription required). He listed shortstop Corey Seager as a potential trade option, which should catch the Red Sox's eye.
The veteran shortstop has a no-trade clause on his contract, and Boston is one of the teams he'd accept a trade to — Seager has eight teams on his no-trade list, and Rosenthal reported that one of them is the Atlanta Braves. The Red Sox and Yankees are allegedly not on the list, and Boston could be a good match.
Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports that the Rangers owning the local station that airs their games could affect their payroll by forcing them to trade Seager or Jacob deGrom, meaning it isn't guaranteed that the shortstop gets moved this offseason. If he does, he could fit well in the Sox's lineup for multiple reasons.
Red Sox could trade for Rangers' Corey Seager to address power outage, infield needs and add veteran presence
Seager was a free agent the same year the Red Sox signed Trevor Story, and despite long injury histories for both veterans, the former would've been the better move. Story posted a great bounce-back season for Boston in 2025, but in terms of games played since 2022, alone, Seager has been superior with 495 games to Story's 320.
Like Alex Bregman, who may decide to sign elsewhere for the rest of his career, Seager is a two-time World Series champion and heralded veteran. He would bring a similar level of leadership and experience to Boston's clubhouse as Bregman, and he could be an ideal replacement if the latter departs in free agency. Seager is an excellent defender at shortstop, so the Red Sox would have to move Story to second base and Marcelo Mayer to third if they pulled off this trade.
Seager has been one of the most consistent bats in baseball, when healthy. He's slashed .289/.362/.509 with an .871 OPS over his 11-year career. In 2025, he batted .271/.373/.487 with an .860 OPS, 19 doubles, 21 home runs, 50 RBI, and he accumulated a staggering 6.2 bWAR in just 102 games.
Durability and age are definite concerns when considering a trade for Seager. The 31-year-old hasn't posted anything close to a full season of work since 2022 when he logged 151 games, and he's only played more than that once in his entire career of over a decade. There are six years remaining on his contract, and at over $31 million per, there is a severe fear of regression or injury hurting his worth.
Still, Seager is an intriguing option for a Red Sox team that is on the brink of losing multiple veterans, since Bregman could sign elsewhere and Jarren Duran has been mentioned in countless trade rumors. Bringing Seager to Boston wouldn't be easy, but he suits its offensive and defensive needs, as well as its need for players with postseason experience.