Red Sox-Diamondbacks Blockbuster Is 'Logical' Possibility, Per Insider

So much of the trade deadline discourse around the Boston Red Sox has centered on who could be leaving that we've almost forgotten to discuss who could walk into the clubhouse.

The Red Sox are on a heater these days. With seven straight wins, they've vaulted into the playoff picture entering play on Friday. And they've done so without a clear-cut starter at an important offensive position.

Ever since Triston Casas got hurt, the first base position has been a highly publicized question mark for the Red Sox, though Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez have done an admirable job stabilizing things. It's fine for Gonzalez to keep getting at-bats against left-handed pitching, but Toro has predictably leveled off of late.

It would be sensible for the Red Sox to pursue a rental left-handed bat at first base to fill the void until Casas hypothetically returns in 2026. One Boston insider believes there's an obvious target.

On Friday, Sean McAdam of MassLive wrote that Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor seems to be the most logical first base trade target for the Red Sox if his team decides to sell.

"(The Red Sox will) mostly be focused on addressing present needs (first base, starting rotation, bullpen) that can be filled for multiple years. The one exception here might be first base.

"Triston Casas has a long recovery road ahead of him, but could still be the first baseman of the future as soon as Opening Day 2026. That would make Arizona’s Josh Naylor, who will be a free agent at the end of the year, a logical target if — and that’s a big “if” - the Diamondbacks decide to sell."

Naylor, 28, sports a .294/.361/.462 slash line on the season. He's a lefty, so he'd effectively replace Toro in the lineup against right-handed pitchers, and probably still get many of the starts against lefties, with Gonzalez playing more second base recently and David Hamilton demoted.

Firstly, let's see if the D-backs are sellers. Then, we can worry about whether the Red Sox are leading the pack for Naylor. But as McAdam insinuates, the fit makes sense for a team and fan base starved for a playoff bid.