Dec 9, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Rays’ Blockbuster Trades Turn Up Pressure on Red Sox

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Dec 20, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox have to get a move on if they want to land a high-end slugger.

Right now, the top options in free agency are Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Eugenio Suárez, Munetaka Murakami, and Kazuma Okamoto, among others. The guy who has been linked to Boston the most on the trade block is Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star infielder Ketel Marte.

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Right now, things seem to be at a standstill around the league on the slugger market after Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber signed. Rumors are swirling but there's no end in sight, aside from Murakami who has to sign with a team by Monday as his posting period is set to end.

If you're in the faction of the Red Sox fanbase hoping for Marte, there haven't been many positive updates on that front. On Dec. 17, WEEI's Rob Bradford reported that the Red Sox are "not coming close" on the Diamondbacks' ask for Marte.

The Red Sox have to get going

If that wasn't bad enough, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal said that the Tampa Bay Rays are "now positioned" to make a run at Marte after trading Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz away.

"With the two trades, the Rays transformed their farm system, adding six prospects to their top 30, according to MLB Pipeline – Melton (4), Brito (6), Forret (7), de Brun (8), Bodine (13) and Overn (22)," Rosenthal wrote. "They are now positioned to acquire Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan or any other player who might intrigue them.

"As always, the Rays will not rule anything out. But after trading Baz, they might not be willing to part with the pitching the Diamondbacks want for Marte unless they acquire additional arms from a third team. They also must decide if such a pursuit would even be worthwhile."

This isn't great on two fronts. If the Red Sox actually want Marte and the rumors haven't been smoke and mirrors, they could have competition now from an American League East rival reloaded with prospects.

The American League East has been going crazy. The Toronto Blue Jays got Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and have been eyeing the biggest sluggers available. The Baltimore Orioles beat out Boston for Pete Alonso. The New York Yankees are still the Yankees. Boston added two hurlers, but no offense.

Rumors have been swirling about the Diamondbacks and Alex Bregman. If Arizona could flip Marte to the Rays, that would then free up cash, making the Diamondbacks even more of a threat for Bregman. Boston can't wait around and see how the market develops. The Red Sox have plenty of cash and prospects themself. If they want someone -- whether that's Bregman, Marte, or someone else -- they should get aggressive and set the market, rather than react to others.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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