Red Sox Could Land 31-HR All-Star In Deadline Blockbuster With Diamondbacks

Is this a realistic trade option?

Jun 9, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first base Josh Naylor (22) hits a walk off grand slam home run against the Seattle Mariners in the eleventh inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

As the Major League Baseball trade deadline looms in the distance, the Boston Red Sox are juggling a million things at once.

Top prospect Roman Anthony is just getting his feet wet. Fellow rookies Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell are trying to develop as well, but the Red Sox are also a win-now team. Except the winning hasn't come easy, as Boston sits at 34-36, three games out of playoff position.

While Boston has too many outfielders, they don't have a surefire first baseman. Abraham Toro has been a godsend on a minor league deal, as his game-winning home run on Wednesday brought his OPS to .928. But it's hard to know how much longer the Red Sox can count on the journeyman.

On Thursday, Athlon's Matthew Sullivan proposed a potential trade target for the Red Sox at first base: Arizona Diamondbacks star Josh Naylor, an impending free agent who arrived in a trade only six months ago.

"After the Casas injury and the Devers refusal, the Red Sox have a dire need at first base. Naylor would be a great addition for Boston," Sullivan wrote.

Naylor, 27, is having a very strong season. In 66 games, he's slashing .302/.357/.468 with eight home runs and 45 RBI. After his All-Star, 31-homer campaign with the Cleveland Guardians a year ago, Naylor is proving his bat plays in any environment.

"As with most trade targets, the Red Sox would have some competition for Naylor. But, as Naylor is on a one-year deal in Arizona and is a free agent after the year, his price tag would be less than some of the other options around the league."

There are a couple of ways this trade could work. Boston could deal one of their excellent starting outfielders, namely Wilyer Abreu or Jarren Duran, for a package headlined by Naylor and a prospect. Or if the D-backs are straight-up sellers, they could just send prospects of their own to Arizona.

Nothing is guaranteed for either team at this point, so the next month-plus will determine the viability of both of those trade scenarios.

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