The Red Sox spent the 2026 trade deadline attacking problem areas, but one glaring need was left untouched: shortstop.
Boston came away with a haul. Adley Rutschman arrived from the Baltimore Orioles to stabilize a catcher spot that had been a long-running issue.
The bullpen got a boost with left-hander Erik Miller coming over from the San Francisco Giants. Curtis Mead was added from the Washington Nationals, and right-handed outfielder Eli White gave the bench some extra depth.
That kind of deadline work would normally dominate the conversation. For the Red Sox, though, the shortstop question still hangs over everything.
It was the position most often connected to Boston before the deadline, with Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels, C.J. Abrams of the Nationals and Otto Lopez of the Miami Marlins all surfacing in rumors.
Marcelo Mayer is no longer in the picture, and the long-term answer at short is still unsettled. Franklin Arias might be the solution.
He might not be. Either way, this is a debate that’s going to come back when the offseason arrives.
According to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, Boston talked through several possibilities, and one name that stands out as a potential fit is Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets.
"Several compelling names were discussed: Shortstops Zach Neto (Angels), Otto Lopez (Marlins), C.J. Abrams (Nationals), and Francisco Lindor (Mets); catchers Hunter Goodman (Rockies), Liam Hicks (Marlins), and Francisco Alvarez (Mets)," Speier wrote.
Lindor is the one who makes the most sense if he ever truly gets put in play. Neto is talented, but the Angels’ price tag over the summer was steep.
Lopez has put together a strong season, though it has been far better than anything else he has done in his career so far. Abrams would be a huge addition, and he still comes with two more seasons of control, but Speier also reported Boston had interest in Elly De La Cruz and Bobby Witt Jr., two names that are clearly more fantasy than reality.
Lindor, by contrast, is the real thing. He’s 32, under contract for five more seasons beyond the 2026 campaign, and he still brings impact to a lineup.
In 64 games, he’s hitting .243/.330/.437 with a .767 OPS, 11 home runs and 30 RBIs. Since 2021, he hasn’t finished a season below 5.4 wins above replacement, and this year’s dip would likely come because of injury rather than production.
If Arias develops into the answer, Boston can breathe easier. If he shifts elsewhere and the Red Sox need a proven shortstop, Lindor looks like the name to circle.
In Other News...
Orioles Just Learned The Full Price Of Bostons Adley Blockbuster
Adley Rutschmans first game in a Red Sox uniform gave Boston an immediate look at why the club was willing to make a serious move for him. He went 1-for-3 with two walks and handled catcher duties cleanly, a tidy debut that fit the idea of a roster upgrade designed to matter right away. The swap also finally got buttoned up behind the scenes, with the player to be named later piece of the deal now settled.
For Baltimore, the real sting is in what eventually crossed over to complete the trade. Boston sent over minor league outfielder Harold Rivas, an 18-year-old with enough status in the organization to make him more than just a throw-in. It is the kind of final accounting that can quietly shape how a blockbuster is remembered, especially when the first big league glimpse from the new catcher already looked so settled. [Read more 🡒]
Vaughn Grissom Just Made His Red Sox Exit More Personal
Vaughn Grissoms departure from Boston already looked like one of those moves that quietly lingered in the background, and now it feels a lot more personal. The infielder said the Red Sox front office never gave him a fair chance to play, arguing they leaned too heavily on analytics instead of what he was doing on the field. Since moving on, Grissom has settled in as a more regular starter with the Los Angeles Angels, where consistent playing time has given him a steadier role.
Grissom also believes he has gotten better simply by being on the field every day, and his season line reflects a player who has found some rhythm. He is hitting .254/.315/.392 with seven home runs and a 0.5 bWAR in 78 games, numbers that do not turn the story into a full redemption arc but do make the contrast with his Boston tenure harder to ignore. For the Red Sox, it is another reminder that player evaluation does not end when someone leaves town. [Read more 🡒]
Adley Rutschman Already Changed A Big Red Sox Question
Adley Rutschman wasted little time making his presence felt in Boston, stepping straight into the middle of the lineup and behind the plate after being acquired in a trade and activated from the injured list. In a 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays, he started at catcher and batted third, and even after more than three weeks away with wrist inflammation, there was little sign of rust as he settled into his new surroundings.
For the Red Sox, the early takeaway was bigger than one game in the standings. Rutschmans arrival immediately changes the look of a catching situation that was already under scrutiny, and the club plans to handle his workload carefully as he gets up to speed with a new pitching staff and a new dugout. The next question is less about whether he fits and more about how Boston chooses to use him in the first stretch of this new chapter. [Read more 🡒]