The Houston Astros have already made their position on Jeremy Peña plain: he’s not available. Boston checked in, got a quick no, and Houston still plans to buy at the deadline. But if the Red Sox want to force the issue, the only way forward is with an offer so heavy the Astros can’t ignore it.
That’s where Franklin Arias comes in.
Arias is the kind of prospect Boston would hate to move, which is exactly why he has to be the centerpiece of any real Peña pursuit. He’s the presumptive shortstop of the future in Boston, ranked third on Baseball America’s Top 100 and seventh by MLB Pipeline. The 20-year-old was just bumped to Triple-A after tearing through the Eastern League, where he hit .318/.407/.587 with 17 doubles and 19 home runs while drawing nearly as many walks as strikeouts.
That promotion last week hints at a big-league debut this season, which only makes the idea of dealing him more painful for Boston. But if the Red Sox are serious about landing Peña, Arias is the name that would make Houston stop and think.
Other prospects in the system might get Dana Brown to listen. Arias is the one who changes the conversation.
Even that probably isn’t enough by itself, so the package would need more muscle. Kyson Witherspoon would be the next piece.
He’s ranked 97th on Baseball America’s list, a right-hander with a fastball that can reach 99 MPH, a five-pitch mix, and the ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. He hasn’t put it all together in high-A, but the upside is obvious.
Pairing a controllable arm with that kind of ceiling alongside a shortstop prospect like Arias is what turns a phone call into a real negotiation.
From there, Boston would likely need to add another lower-level prospect, perhaps Blake Wehunt or Angel Bastardo, plus a lottery ticket. That’s the kind of haul that would at least make Houston pause. It would be more than fair value, and maybe even an overpay, but that’s the price of trying to pry Peña loose.
The industry already views Peña as a major trade chip. Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel ranked him seventh on their Top100 trade candidate board, which says plenty about how much attention he’s drawing. A package built around Arias and Witherspoon would give the Astros a reason to take it seriously, with a premium prospect and a legitimate arm headlining the return.
There’s also the extension angle. Peña was close enough to a deal that people around the game thought it was happening before he changed representation.
That only adds to the sense that Houston may eventually have to make a decision on him. The catch is timing.
Without a massive offer, that moment probably isn’t now.
Would the Astros actually bite? Maybe not, especially after Brown’s firm no.
But the Red Sox have already shown this month that they’re willing to pay up when they want to close a gap. If Peña is the target and Boston refuses to settle for Plan B, this is the kind of package that would at least force Houston to sit with it before hanging up.
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