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Red Sox Urged to Trade With Division Rival to Fill First Base Need

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sterling Bennett | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 1:30 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox are sinking fast. Following a 4-3 loss on Tuesday to the Los Angeles Angels, Boston now sits 10 games back of the American League East lead and five games below .500.

Whether it be due to the plethora of players on the injured list or poor execution, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow needs to move quickly if he wants to salvage the season.

One of the early big blows to Boston’s lineup was losing first baseman Tristan Casas for the season after rupturing his left patellar tendon on May 2. Since then, the Red Sox have explored the option of Rafael Devers playing the field again, which he rejected, and relied on veterans Abraham Toro, Romy Gonzalez, and Nick Sogard to subpar results.

According to FanGraphs, all three players have accumulated a total of 0.1 WAR, leaving a hole in a usual power position. With that in mind, NESN’s Mike Cole believes the Red Sox should look to the division rival Baltimore Orioles for help at the first base position.

Ryan O’Hearn is having a tremendous season for Baltimore, slashing .335/.423/.538 with nine home runs and 23 RBIs.

Due to his success, the asking price will be high, which puts the ball back in Boston’s court. Does Breslow believe O’Hearn is enough to push the Red Sox closer to the top of the A.L. playoff picture?

O’Hearn is a left-handed hitter, and adding him to a left-handed hitting heavy lineup may pigeonhole Boston against same-sided pitching.

It is also worth noting that O’Hearn is an impending free agent, and buying high on a one-year rental may make the acquisition less appealing to a Red Sox team still trying to find its footing this season.

However, acquiring O’Hearn could allow Boston to sell high on other pieces. Notably, outfielders Jaren Duran and Wilyer Abreu were both featured in Jeff Passan’s trade deadline preview article on ESPN.

Moving either player could allow the team to improve other areas to form a more well-rounded roster, leading into the summer months.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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