The Red Sox are already hunting for offense ahead of the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and the infield is the obvious place to start.
That urgency only got louder after Curtis Mead landed on the injured list just two at-bats into his Red Sox tenure. Boston still needs more punch from that group, and ESPN’s Buster Olney says the club has now “checked into” the availability of Miami Marlins All-Star shortstop Otto Lopez.
“A really interesting name: The Red Sox have checked into the availability of Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez, who is in the midst of a special season; he leads all hitters with a .328 average,” Olney writes.
If Boston is serious about upgrading at shortstop, Lopez is the kind of name that jumps off the page. The trade market at the position is thin, with Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena, Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto, and Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams standing out as the clearest potential summer trade targets.
Lopez, though, has moved himself into the conversation. The 27-year-old is under club control through 2029 and has put together a breakout year for Miami, earning an All-Star selection along the way. In 104 games, he has posted 5.3 bWAR and MLB-best totals with 137 hits and 27 doubles, while batting .328.
He’s also added seven triples, nine home runs, 48 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, 64 runs scored, 23 walks, an .854 OPS, and a 140 OPS+.
A deal for Lopez would not come cheap, but the Red Sox have already shown this month that they’re willing to pay up for help. They sent Connelly Early in the deal for Mead, and that move signaled a front office ready to make aggressive additions.
Lopez’s path to stardom has also been a little unusual. Like Mead, he was DFA’d earlier in his big league career after struggling with the Toronto Blue Jays. Since arriving in Miami, though, he has taken off and become one of the most productive players in the league.
For now, Boston has simply checked in. But if the Marlins are open to moving Lopez, Craig Breslow could be setting up for another major swing this summer.
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