The Red Sox are in position to act like a contender, and that means the trade deadline could get interesting fast. Boston has a shot tonight to win its 16th straight game and break the franchise record set in 1946, and whether that happens or not, the message has already been sent: this team looks like a buyer.
That’s the view from MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, and it lines up with the New York Post’s Jon Heyman as well. If Boston decides to chase a real upgrade behind the plate, there are three All-Star-caliber catchers who could fit the bill.
Hunter Goodman sits at the top of the list. He’d be the splashiest option, and probably the most expensive one too.
Goodman is hitting .257/.326/.565/.891 with 16 doubles, 31 home runs, and 57 RBI in 94 games this season. He also comes with two more years of arbitration, so this wouldn’t be a pure rental situation.
For Boston, the appeal is obvious: he’d immediately become the club’s best slugger, and his road numbers suggest he could keep doing damage without being tied down by the Coors Light Field Effect.
Shea Langeliers is the next name, and he’s no consolation prize. The Athletics catcher would be a notch below Goodman, but still a strong addition.
Langeliers is batting .260/.330/.496/.826 with 18 doubles, 23 home runs, and 51 RBI in 91 games. He also has two years of arbitration left, though unlike the Rockies, the Athletics may have every reason to hold onto him.
Even so, Boston has the kind of trade assets that could make the A’s listen.
Then there’s Adley Rutschman, the most unconventional option of the three. Landing him would mean dealing with a division rival, the Baltimore Orioles, which makes the idea a tougher sell on paper.
But Rutschman is fighting for starting time at catcher, and Baltimore could use help if it wants to stay on track for the future. His numbers this season are down from his All-Star level - .251/.331/.433/.764 with 19 doubles, eight home runs, and 47 RBI in 67 games - but his switch-hitting profile could play well at Fenway and give him a chance to get back to that form.
If the Red Sox really do go shopping for a star catcher, they’ve got three very different paths to choose from.
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Anthony has now been out long enough that the Red Sox are treating his return with patience, not urgency, and the latest guidance is still centered on full healing rather than a quick comeback. For a team playing its best baseball in decades, that creates an unusual backdrop: Boston is surging, the offense is humming, and yet one of its marquee players is still waiting for the next step in a recovery that has stretched well beyond the original hope. [Read more 🡒]
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Red Sox Hot Streak Has Put One Deadline Need Front And Center
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One name that keeps surfacing is Shea Langeliers, though the fit comes with a major complication because Oakland controls him through 2028. That kind of team control makes a deal a long shot, even if the Athletics are open to listening, particularly if Boston is willing to talk pitching prospects. For the Red Sox, the question is whether a hot streak has changed the calculus enough to justify pushing on a deal that looks difficult from the start. [Read more 🡒]