The trade deadline is officially here: the Boston Red Sox kicked it off last week by trading for Curtis Mead and the Los Angeles Dodgers made it official by trading for Tarik Skubal, as the world knew they would.
The Dodgers have made the biggest splash so far, but the Sox have been in plenty of trade rumors for massive talent too, including Cincinnati Reds, Hunter Greene and Elly De La Cruz, among others. The Reds have said they'd have to be blown away to trade either of their two young stars, and the same has been said of the Los Angeles Angels and Zach Neto.
Many Red Sox fans are nervous to hear that the team's No.1 prospect and the No. 7 prospect in all of baseball (per MLB Pipeline) Franklin Arias is not in the Worcester Red Sox's lineup on Sunday (via Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette). Arias' name has come up in trade rumors throughout the week as the deadline has approached and Boston fans have been on edge — Arias has no business being dealt for most of the talent on this year's market.
Arias' absence from the lineup may just be an off day, since he's started seven straight games for the WooSox since his promotion to Triple-A on July 24. Andrew Parker of SoxProspects has confirmed that the top prospect's absence is due to a rest day. Red Sox fans can exhale... but maybe not fully.
Franklin Arias' absence from WooSox lineup sent Red Sox fans into a frenzy
Craig Breslow hasn't been afraid of dipping into the Sox's top prospect group to improve the team. All four of the prospects he sent to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Garrett Crochet have made their MLB debuts, and now the White Sox are the top team in the American League Central. If this year's pool of talent were better or De La Cruz available, Breslow might not have hesitated to move Arias for a game-changer.
But Arias, himself has the potential to be a game-changer — just not this year, as he's still 20 years old. He's batting .310/.398/.578 over 82 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year. His 21 homers have obliterated his previous career-high of nine from the 2024 season. In seven games since his promotion to Worcester, Arias has hit two doubles, two home runs, scored two runs, plated seven others and taken four walks compared to six strikeouts.
Red Sox fans shouldn't worry too much about Arias being traded at this year's deadline. His potential exceeds that of most of the available players. But until the clock strikes six on Monday evening, Sox fans will be on edge, wondering about the fate of Arias, as the front office does not see him as truly 'untouchable.'
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