The Red Sox have made a habit of chasing upgrades through the trade market, and Craig Breslow has shown he’s willing to swing big. Boston’s 2026 roster is already dotted with names who arrived that way - Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray, Erik Miller, Johan Oviedo, Adley Rutschman, Curtis Mead, Andruw Monasterio, Caleb Durbin, Eli White and Willson Contreras among them - and that approach could easily define the winter again.
That’s why Bryce Harper keeps coming up.
The Phillies star has been floated as a possible trade chip this offseason by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, provided Harper would agree to waive his no-trade clause. On paper, he looks like the kind of bat Boston could build around. In practice, this is still a long shot, but it’s the sort of deal that at least makes sense enough to sketch out.
One mock framework would send Jarren Duran, Kristian Campbell and Tanner Houck to Philadelphia for Harper. The logic on the Phillies’ side starts with the outfield, which was shaky in 2026, while Adolis Garcia is set to hit free agency.
Duran had a rough 2026 season, but the upside is obvious: he posted 9.0 wins above replacement in 2024 and 4.9 in 2025, so there’s reason to think he can rebound. Campbell would be the centerpiece of the return.
He’s only 24, already has a long-term deal, and could fit either in the outfield or at the spot currently held by Luis Arraez in the infield.
Houck adds another layer. He’s healthy now, was an All-Star in his last full season in 2024, and after missing all of the 2026 season except the regular season finale, he could help either in the rotation or out of the bullpen. There’s also a Boston connection there: Houck was taken in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft, when Dave Dombrowski was still running baseball operations for the Red Sox.
Still, the biggest hurdles are obvious. The Phillies would have to actually decide to move a two-time MVP, Harper would have to agree to go, and the money has to work.
He has five years left on his contract, with salaries of just over $27 million in 2027 and 2028, then just over $23 million in each of the final three seasons. That’s a serious commitment, but for Boston, it would be the kind of money better spent than similar dollars on Randy Arozarena or Seiya Suzuki.
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Red Sox Draft Class Is Already Giving Fans Plenty To Debate
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The report also digs into the rest of the class, from players whose pro debuts have already offered some clues to those still carrying more long-range upside in speed, pitching and athleticism. It even points to the prospects closest to the majors and a few late-round picks worth noting, which is exactly the kind of stuff that tends to fuel an early debate in Boston, where every draft class is judged not just on talent, but on how quickly it can help shape the next wave. [Read more 🡒]