The Bryce Harper chatter is starting to pick up, and the Red Sox ought to have their ears wide open.
Boston’s offseason needs are obvious. The lineup has to get louder, especially after the club finished the regular season with the 26th-most home runs in the league at 163.
Even so, the Red Sox are not starting from zero. If Roman Anthony, Trevor Story, Curtis Mead and Adley Rutschman are all healthy through the 2027 season, there’s already more punch on the roster than there was in 2026.
But if a bigger swing becomes possible, Boston should be ready to take it.
That’s where Harper comes in. While discussing the Phillies’ struggles, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal floated the Red Sox as a hypothetical team to watch if Philadelphia ever decided to shop Harper - and if he were willing to waive his no-trade clause.
That alone didn’t make it likely. Then Tuesday brought another layer, when USA Today’s Bob Nightengale added to the speculation while appearing on 97.5 The Fanatic.
"I think they'll shop guys and I think they'll put guys out there," Nightengale said. "Bryce Harper, throwing Trea Turner out there. Not sure if they'd put Kyle Schwarber out there [because of] how much he means to that clubhouse and stuff."
Asked which player might be the more realistic trade candidate, Nightengale pointed to Harper.
"You'd think probably Harper in the sense that Turner doesn't have that value," Nightengale continued. "You'd have to eat a lot of that contract to move him. Harper's contract is very reasonable."
For Boston, that kind of name naturally changes the conversation. If Harper ever did hit the market, he would be exactly the sort of player Craig Breslow and the front office would have to pursue. The Red Sox have already been linked to the idea in the wake of Rosenthal’s report, and the louder the buzz gets, the more it feels like a call Boston would at least need to make.
Of course, this is still the very early part of the offseason. The postseason is still going, and this is the part of the calendar where speculation tends to run hot.
The Phillies were knocked out early, just like the Red Sox, and these kinds of ideas can evaporate quickly. But when two well-known insiders start mentioning Harper in connection with trade talk, Boston has to pay attention.
Harper’s 2026 season only sharpens the appeal. He hit .269/.380/.485 with an .865 OPS, along with 29 home runs, 87 RBIs, a league-leading 107 walks, 32 doubles and 93 runs scored. That kind of production would look awfully good coming from the designated hitter spot in Boston.
There was also some earlier chatter back in June from The Athletic’s Jim Bowden about the Phillies wanting an impact outfielder, and Jarren Duran came up as a possible fit. Duran still has two more seasons of team control, which only adds another wrinkle if Philadelphia ever got serious about moving Harper. A deal would remain pure speculation for now, but Boston could try to get Philadelphia’s attention with Duran plus prospects or pitching.
Harper is 33 and has never won a title, but he has played in 60 playoff games and already checked just about every other box a star can check on a baseball field. Pairing him with veterans like Willson Contreras and Story would also give the clubhouse another major voice while the organization keeps pushing its young core forward.
The Red Sox are close enough to matter. A player like Harper could be the kind of final jolt that pushes them over the top. If the Phillies are really willing to listen, Boston should be first in line.
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What makes the decision trickier is that Mattingly did more than just keep things afloat. He earned visible backing inside the clubhouse, with players such as Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber speaking up for his leadership during the season. With the Phillies now in the offseason and the search open, the debate is no longer just about candidates on paper, but about whether the job should stay with the man who already won the room. [Read more 🡒]