The Boston Red Sox know they are running out of time to add an infielder before the start of spring training.
For Craig Breslow, the goal seemed to be a reunion with Alex Bregman. That was until the Chicago Cubs ripped him away from Boston, leaving the Red Sox scrambling and starting over. The next-best infielder was also reportedly taken off of the market on Friday with Bo Bichette agreeing to a deal with the New York Mets.
It’s back to square one for Boston, but not all hope is lost. Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic believes the team could pivot back to veteran infielder Ketel Marte.
“The Arizona Diamondbacks had taken second baseman Ketel Marte off the trade market last week, per (Ken) Rosenthal, but that was before the Red Sox signed Suárez and now have more flexibility to trade a starter,” McCaffrey wrote. “The Red Sox could entice Arizona with a bigger trade package. (Arizona is known to covet Jarren Duran and Payton Tolle or Connelly Early.)”
A trade that would send Duran and a pitcher to the Diamondbacks would certainly be a win-win for both parties. For Arizona, it helps to solidify their rotation while also boosting their offensive production. On the other hand, the Red Sox would fill a huge void in the infield with Marte and ease their outfield logjam at the same time.
Just because Arizona took Marte off of the trade block and said he isn’t available anymore doesn’t mean the organization is labeling him untouchable. The Diamondbacks just weren’t getting the value they wanted at that given moment. Boston has more to offer now and could swoop in once again.
Marte would be under team control for the Red Sox until 2032 if they held onto him for the duration of the contract, according to Spotrac. The All-Star infielder does have a player option for $11.5 million after the 2031 season, but Marte would be 37 years old at that point. It’s highly unlikely he would decline it and test free agency at that stage of his career.
If the two teams restarted their negotiations, it’s possible a deal could get done to better both clubs for this upcoming season and beyond.
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