The Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners don’t often find themselves in direct competition off the field. But when it comes to the trade market this winter - particularly in the chase for three-time All-Star Ketel Marte - they’re suddenly eyeing the same prize. And after Boston’s latest move, they may have just pulled ahead.
On Monday, the Red Sox made a rare one-for-one prospect swap with the Washington Nationals, sending right-hander Luis Perales to D.C. in exchange for lefty Jake Bennett. It’s not the kind of deal that usually grabs headlines, but it’s a calculated move that fits a growing pattern in Boston’s front office - stockpiling near-MLB-ready starting pitching.
Bennett, now ranked as the No. 7 prospect in Boston’s system by MLB Pipeline, reached Double-A this past season and is projected to be big-league ready in 2026. He joins a wave of arms the Red Sox have added under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who’s made it clear he’s building this roster from the mound out.
Since taking over, Breslow has brought in Garrett Crochet, Kyle Harrison, Sonny Gray, Johan Oviedo, and now Bennett. Add in prospects like Payton Tolle and Connelly Early, and the Red Sox suddenly have one of the deeper young pitching pools in the league.
So what does this have to do with Ketel Marte?
Well, both Boston and Seattle are known to be in the mix for the Diamondbacks’ star infielder, and Arizona’s asking price is no secret: controllable young starting pitching, preferably arms that are close to major-league ready. That’s where the Red Sox might have a clear edge.
Seattle certainly has arms to offer, but most of their top-tier young pitchers - guys like George Kirby or Bryce Miller - are already key parts of their big-league rotation. Trading one of them would be a major subtraction from a team trying to contend.
And while they have prospects like Logan Evans or Emerson Hancock, those names likely won’t move the needle for a player of Marte’s caliber. Their top pitching prospects - Kade Anderson, Jurrangelo Cijntje, Ryan Sloan - are still a ways off from the majors.
That puts Boston in a strong position. They can offer Arizona what it wants without weakening their current rotation.
A package built around Tolle and Early, both of whom are trending toward the majors, could be enough to get a deal done. And if the D-backs are looking for more than just arms, Boston’s got that covered too.
With an outfield surplus, the Sox could include someone like Jarren Duran, a frequent name in trade rumors, to sweeten the pot.
There’s also been talk - via Ken Rosenthal - that Arizona might consider trading Marte for prospects it could then flip to a third team for pitching. But that’s a more complicated route. If Boston can offer the D-backs what they want directly, it gives them a cleaner, faster path to a deal.
Meanwhile, the Mariners appear to be pivoting toward Brendan Donovan - a talented player, no doubt, but not quite on Marte’s level. That shift may be less about preference and more about practicality. Donovan is a more attainable target, one that doesn’t require Seattle to part with a key rotation piece or overextend their prospect capital.
So while the Red Sox and Mariners may not be rivals in the traditional sense, they’re very much in the same lane this offseason. And with each calculated move - like Monday’s under-the-radar pitching swap - Boston is building the kind of trade package that could land them a difference-maker like Marte. If the Mariners can’t match that without tearing into their core, the Red Sox might just be the team left standing when the dust settles.