The Red Sox keep circling the same problem: they need power, and they don’t have an easy place to stash it. The outfield looks like the cleanest answer on paper, but Boston would still need to move pieces around to make room. That’s why the trade market has started to feel like the more realistic path, especially with a former MVP sitting near the center of the conversation.
FanSided recently floated a deal that would send Ronald Acuña Jr. from Atlanta to Boston in exchange for Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and No. 9 prospect John Holobetz. Predictably, that kind of package lit up social media and split fans in both cities.
There has been chatter - along with speculation tied to Acuña’s Instagram activity - that he may want out of Atlanta this winter, though MLB insider Jon Heyman has called it a “major longshot” that he gets dealt this offseason.
Even with that uncertainty, the Braves would seem to have very little reason to move him. Acuña is the face of the franchise, and he still has two years left on his contract.
His injuries and online drama have been part of the story, but so has the value of that deal. He signed an eight-year, $100 million extension in 2020, and that kind of early commitment to a rising star helped set the tone for the wave of long-term deals that followed.
The contract is also what makes any Acuña conversation so tricky. When he’s healthy, he still looks like a player who can change a lineup by himself, and his price tag is low for that level of talent. That’s a hard thing to move on from.
Acuña hit .255/.345/.451 with 18 doubles, a triple and 20 home runs in 107 games this season, his highest game total since 2023. Across parts of nine seasons, he owns a .285/.379/.516 line.
Boston’s side of the proposal is easy enough to understand. Duran has become a clear change-of-scenery candidate, and the idea is that a new uniform could bring out a better version of him.
Abreu, meanwhile, is on the brink of becoming a three-time Gold Glove winner and just reached arbitration, which means he’s still cheap for a player with 25-homer power. Holobetz gives the Braves a pitching prospect with real value, too; he’s Boston’s third-highest ranked pitching prospect and the closest to the majors after posting a 4.07 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 132 strikeouts and 36 walks over 119.1 innings.
Still, Braves fans have made it clear they want more back if Acuña is ever moved, and some have pushed for Payton Tolle to be included. That’s not happening. Acuña has played only one full season of the contract so far, and the package of Abreu, Holobetz and Tolle would be too steep from Boston’s side for a player whose risk factor is still part of the equation.
Other names could enter the discussion, but Tolle appears to be the one the Red Sox would be least willing to part with.
For now, the mock deal remains just that, a mock deal. But if the reaction is any indication, it’s the kind of proposal that would leave mostly only Sox fans feeling good about it.
In Other News...
Red Sox Face A Serious Problem In Their Search For Power
Power was already near the top of Bostons offseason shopping list, and it looks like the Red Sox may have to shop carefully if they want to add it. Randy Arozarena fits the kind of bat they need, with a track record of strong offense and a preference for playing on the East Coast, which at least gives Boston a plausible opening as he heads toward free agency after his time with the Mariners.
The problem, of course, is that the market figures to be crowded. Arozarena is expected to draw interest from several clubs, including the Yankees, Mets, Phillies and Cubs, which means the Red Sox would not be bidding in a quiet corner of the winter. For a team trying to add more consistent punch, the question may not be whether he makes sense, but whether Boston can win a race that figures to get expensive fast. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Could Enter The Chase For A Fascinating Power Bat
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For Boston, the fit is easy to see. The Red Sox have been searching for ways to deepen their lineup with more thump, and Sato checks the box as a potential power-hitting addition who could appeal if the club decides to press into that chase. Nothing is finalized yet, but with several teams already sniffing around, the early part of this winter could decide how aggressive Boston wants to be. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Face An Offseason Decision That Could Define 2027
The Red Sox have spent the last two Octobers learning how thin the margin can be, making the playoffs in back-to-back seasons only to get pushed out quickly each time, including a sweep at the hands of the Yankees in 2026. Injury trouble only made the picture murkier, with key players like Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony and Willson Contreras all dealing with setbacks during the season, leaving Boston to patch together its roster and keep pace in a tight race.
Now the focus shifts to 2027, where the organization will need healthier returns from that group just to stabilize the core. At the same time, the front office is staring at a crowded outfield and a number of contract commitments, which means the next round of roster decisions may not just shape the bench or the depth chart, but define the shape of the team for the next run. [Read more 🡒]