The Red Sox have the kind of roster that can already dream big for 2027, and that’s what makes the Ronald Acuna Jr. conversation so fascinating. On paper, Boston doesn’t need to go off the rails this winter just to be in the mix.
The rotation is stacked with Garrett Crochet, Payton Tolle, Ranger Suarez and Jake Bennett, with Brayan Bello possibly in the picture too. Sonny Gray, Tanner Houck or another outside arm could also enter the equation.
The lineup already features Roman Anthony, Adley Rutschman, Willson Contreras, Curtis Mead, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and Caleb Durbin, among others, while much of the bullpen remains under team control. Add a modest upgrade or two, and the Red Sox look dangerous heading toward 2027.
Make a splash, and the ceiling jumps again.
That’s where Acuna comes in, at least in the swirl of winter speculation. There has been plenty of chatter already about the Braves possibly moving him, though Atlanta has not said anything publicly.
The reality is simpler: the Braves probably shouldn’t trade him. When healthy, Acuna is a top-five player in baseball.
He’s 28, a five-time All-Star, a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a former MVP. He also has two more seasons essentially under team control, with a $17 million club option for both the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Still, if Atlanta were somehow open to listening, the kind of package that might get their attention would be substantial. The Red Sox offer in this scenario would be Wilyer Abreu, C/1B Franklin Primera, Brayan Bello, RHP Sadbiel Delzine and RHP Kutter Crawford.
That’s the cost of doing business for a player with Acuna’s upside. The injury history is real, of course.
In 2023, he posted 41 home runs, 106 RBIs and 73 stolen bases. Across 2024 and 2025, he appeared in just 144 games combined.
In 2026, he played 107 games and was good, though not the unstoppable version everyone has seen at his peak.
But any team trying to pry him away would need to overpay, and then some. The Braves are contenders themselves, and they have no obligation to move their best player at age 28.
The speculation has been loud, but nothing concrete has surfaced. That’s why so many mock trades miss the mark on price.
Even with the injury concerns, a player owed just $17 million for two seasons is enormous value.
There are plenty of players around the league who have carried higher annual salaries than Acuna, including Christian Walker at $20 million, Jorge Polanco at $20 million, Brandon Nimmo at $20.25 million, Trent Grisham at $22.025 million, Javier Baez at $23.333 million, Trevor Story at $23.333 million and Kris Bryant at $26 million. That’s the kind of number that changes the math.
So if a team really can get Atlanta to engage, the return has to be overwhelming. Even a banged-up Acuna is still worth more than a lot of players logging full 162-game seasons.
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What stands out is how much of Olsons impact came from both sides of the ball, even as the Braves leaned on him for middle-of-the-order production. His glove was again a separator, and his latest award only reinforces how steady he has become at first base, leaving Atlanta with another reminder that one of its biggest names is still setting the standard in the field. [Read more 🡒]