The Boston Red Sox are in a delicate position as they navigate the 2026 MLB trade season. With a 27-35 record and a 3.5-game deficit to the Rangers for the last AL wild card slot, the Red Sox are actively seeking to bolster their roster, particularly in the area of right-handed hitting. Connor Wong, Carlos Narvaez, and Mickey Gasper are all on the trading block, with Wong being the most expendable of the three. The 2024 season was a breakout for Wong, who hit .280/.333/.425 with 13 homers over 487 plate appearances. However, his performance took a nosedive last year, with a .190/.262/.238 slash line over 188 PA. The situation has flipped in 2026, with Wong rebounding to hit .264/.338/.375 over 82 PA, while Narvaez is struggling at .214/.290/.313 over 125 PA. Gasper, who wasn't called up from Triple-A until May 7, has also gotten a good chunk of playing time and is batting .306/.353/.387 in 69 PA. The Red Sox may feel they have enough catching depth to move Wong elsewhere if the right offer emerges, given that catcher is a traditionally thin position around the game. The first week of June is a little early for trades of true consequence, as clubs generally wait until much closer to the trade deadline for such moves. The amount of parity in the American League has also made trade talks more difficult to parse, as Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow alluded to when speaking with reporters yesterday. Breslow noted that the Red Sox are having a lot of conversations and discussions, and that many teams feel similar to the Red Sox, with confidence in their rosters but struggling to perform as expected. The Red Sox have received calls on Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, and Justin Slaten, but the club currently has no interest in dealing anyone from the bullpen trio. Chapman and Whitlock are technically both in the final years of their contracts, but with some level of additional control. The $13MM mutual option for Chapman’s 2027 season vests into a guaranteed salary if he pitches only 40 innings, and he has already logged 19 2/3 frames. The Red Sox hold an $8.75MM club option (with a $1MM buyout) on Whitlock for 2027, and a $10.5MM club option ($100K buyout) on his services for 2028. Slaten would probably be the toughest to pry away in a trade due to his affordability, as the right-hander doesn’t reach arbitration eligibility until this winter. The Red Sox are in a tricky situation, with a need to add to their roster but also a desire to keep their bullpen intact. The team must carefully consider their options and make the right moves to ensure a successful season.
