Red Sox Writer Points Out Red Flags on Any Astros Deal

This would all but squash any deal between the teams if the Red Sox feel the same way.

Houston Astros hat | William Purnell-Imagn Images

A lot of the trade chatter this winter surrounding the Houston Astros has been with infielder Isaac Paredes. One team linked to him a lot is the Boston Red Sox. They need a player like him since Alex Bregman opted out of his contract to enter free agency, and he landed with the Chicago Cubs.

Houston general manager Dana Brown is not going to trade Paredes without getting a nice return, as he has two years of team control remaining. The Red Sox have a surplus of talent with their starting rotation and outfielders; they could move to make a trade to replace Bregman.

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Boston beat writer Sean McAdam of MassLive (subscription required) had a take on the Red Sox overpaying for Paredes is not the move for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to make with the assets he has.

Red Sox Writer Doesn't Believe Return for Issac Paredes Is Worth a Trade

Isaac Paredes | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Boston does have several trade assets that would be intriguing to Brown and the Astros. Whether it's a young pitcher or an outfielder, Houston can't go wrong. However, McAdam doesn't believe what Breslow has to trade is not worth Paredes for third base with the Red Sox.

"(The Red Sox have) got plenty with which to deal, too — either an everyday outfielder like Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu or a promising young starting pitcher like Payton Tolle or Connelly Early," wrote McAdam.

The Astros can't go wrong with acquiring either Duran or Abreu, although defensively, Abreu would be the player to target, as he has won back-to-back Gold Gloves in right field for Boston. Duran has a better offensive upside, but is not the same defender as Abreu. As for their young pitchers, both Early and Tolle are still raw, but have a ton of upside for the future, which McAdam thinks they should aim higher than Paredes if one or two of those four would be traded.

"But chief baseball officer Craig Breslow needs to be careful here. It would not be wise to give up any of the aforementioned players for someone with only a year of control remaining (Nico Hoerner) or another lefty bat (Brendan Donovan).

"For that matter, Isaac Paredes seems like insufficient return, too. Paredes is, at best, an average defender and isn’t much of a power threat and certainly isn’t worth surrendering either Duran or Abreu.''

The closer it gets to spring training, the less likely a trade for Paredes is going to happen at this point. In any trade with the Red Sox for Paredes, it would be a clear win for Brown and Houston. The Astros are planning on Paredes being in camp and moving him and trying him at different positions. Houston is certainly in the driver's seat with how this plays out if a trade is made.

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