The Red Sox made their move for Adley Rutschman at last year’s trade deadline, and the payoff is easy to understand. Boston added one of the best catchers in Major League Baseball, with the expectation that he can keep performing at that level and maybe even get back to the version he showed early in his career when he first arrived.
But deals like that always come with a second layer. The price of landing a player of Rutschman’s caliber is usually steep, and Boston paid it in a way that could matter later. The Red Sox not only have to hope the prospects they gave up don’t become impact players in Baltimore, they also have fewer chips to use if they want to swing another major trade.
That matters now because Elly De La Cruz has been floated as a possible target, and the idea of Boston getting adventurous has already been raised. The problem is whether the Red Sox still have enough to make that kind of deal work.
“De La Cruz should be at the top of Boston's offseason wish list, but is he a realistic target? The Reds would almost certainly want a haul of top prospects in return for the electrifying 24-year-old.
“It would have been much easier for the Red Sox to complete such a deal had they not sent four of their top 10 prospects -- RHP Anthony Eyanson, RHP Kyson Witherspoon, OF Enddy Azocar, and OF Harold Rivas -- to the Baltimore Orioles for Adley Rutschman before the trade deadline,” Justin Leger wrote.
There’s no question what De La Cruz would bring. He’d give Boston a huge offensive boost, add elite speed on the bases, and bring a different kind of energy to the roster. On paper, he fits the kind of move that could push the Red Sox into the upper tier of the American League.
The question isn’t whether the fit makes sense. It’s whether Boston can still afford the price. I still think the Red Sox could pull it off if they really want to, but it would be a lot harder now than it would have been a couple of months ago.
In Other News...
Red Sox Power Problem Could Force A Painful Offseason Decision
Bostons lack of pop was one of the defining issues of the 2026 season, with the Red Sox finishing near the bottom of the league in home runs and runs scored. That kind of offensive shortage has a way of reshaping an offseason, and it is already pushing the front office toward a familiar but uncomfortable idea: if the lineup needs a true middle-of-the-order force, the answer may have to come from outside the organization.
Craig Breslow does not have an easy path to get there. The clubs supply of young pitching prospects has thinned after recent trades, which limits the kinds of packages Boston can put together, and the most attractive chips left are Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela. Moving either one would be a serious call, especially for a player who can realistically bring 35 to 40 homers a year, because that sort of power is hard to find and even harder to pry loose. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Could Solve Two Offseason Needs With One Bold Trade
The Red Sox are still shopping for a right-handed starter and a power bat this offseason, and that has put a familiar name into the center of the conversation. Jarren Duran has been floated as a possible trade chip, and one of the more intriguing fits would send him to Texas, where the Rangers suddenly have a need for outfield help after Evan Carters hip surgery and are also working under payroll pressure.
Nathan Eovaldi is the kind of arm Boston could use to check one box in a hurry, while Duran would give the Rangers a ready-made answer in the outfield. It is the sort of one-move solution that makes sense on paper for both clubs, but for now it remains only a possibility as the Red Sox weigh how aggressively they want to attack two offseason needs at once. [Read more 🡒]
Wilyer Abreu's Rise Leaves Red Sox Facing A Costly Offseason Call
Wilyer Abreus breakout season has given the Red Sox exactly the kind of problem every front office says it wants. After winning his third straight Gold Glove in right field and leading all players in defensive runs saved and outs above average, he also put himself in position for a Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award after the best offensive year of his career. For a player who has grown into one of Bostons most valuable regulars on both sides of the ball, the rise has been as steady as it has been sudden.
Now the challenge shifts from appreciation to accounting. Abreu is arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason, and the combination of elite defense and a stronger bat figures to push his price tag up fast. That leaves the Red Sox weighing a player whose value keeps climbing against the reality that his improved profile could also make him more expensive to keep, and more attractive if the club starts listening on trade possibilities. [Read more 🡒]