The Boston Red Sox are setting their priorities straight after completing a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals for Willson Contreras. What had been a quiet MLB offseason is starting to grow louder in Beantown. Now, the organization has reportedly made a decision between focusing its efforts on Alex Bregman or another All-Star who may be available.
Acquiring Ketel Marte was never going to be an easy catch for the Red Sox. However, as reports indicated the Red Sox had held talks with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the prospect of the All-Star second baseman arriving in The Hub had been planted and fans grew anxious. Still, that hope may have been short-lived. After acquiring infielder Contreras, Boston may be set—that is, if it can re-sign Bregman.
“The Red Sox, who will be responsible for $32.5 million of the $40.5 million owed to Willson Contreras, are now expected to end trade talks with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2B Ketel Marte,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale stated on X.
Red Sox elect to stay put
After parting ways with young players Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo, and Blake Aita, Boston has no desire to see its prospect pipeline shrink even further. Moreover, Contreras will turn 34 during the 2026 MLB season.
Therefore, pursuing 32-year-old Marte may not make the most sense. Instead, the Red Sox may prefer to play their cards conservatively rather than go all in on star veterans. Whether that’s the right decision or not, only time will tell.
Going after Bregman
Moreover, with Bregman still unsigned in free agency, the Red Sox acknowledge there is a Grade-A opportunity to truly put the cherry on top of their infield. In order to retain Bregman—who opted out of the final two seasons of his three-year, $120 million contract—Boston must make a splash, but it would do so without having to give up some of its biggest beacons of hope for the future.
In more ways than one, placing all of their eggs in Bregman’s basket appears to be the more reasonable choice for the Red Sox. Still, Boston has some work to do, as reports state progress in talks with the third baseman has been fits and starts.