Insider Drops Terrifying Red Sox Hint Amid Brendan Donovan Trade Buzz

Sunday was a day of action across Major League Baseball, and the Boston Red Sox were left in an in-between state.

Trading Jordan Hicks to the Chicago White Sox and freeing up $8 million in payroll for each of the next two years was a significant move. But one of the precious few remaining infield options left the market, as free agent Eugenio Suárez agreed to a reported $15 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds.

Boston has been connected to a handful of other standout infielders, including the St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan. But while providing the latest update on Donovan's market, one baseball insider strongly hinted that the Red Sox might be plotting something fans would despise.

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Would Red Sox consider adding no more infield help?

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, some baseball executives expect Donovan to be moved in the next couple of weeks, but Boston's preferred plan may be to add no other infielders of any kind.

"Perhaps most interesting position player available in the market: The Cardinals' Brendan Donovan. Some rival execs fully expect he'll be moved in the next couple of weeks," Olney wrote Sunday evening on X.

"The Mariners have had interest; he'd fit the Red Sox, too, although Boston seems intent on leaning on Marcelo Mayer in a big way this year, while going with a (David) Hamilton/(Romy) Gonzalez platoon at second base."

Red Sox fans loved Gonzalez in a platoon role last year, but we saw when he took over on an everyday basis that he wasn't a particularly good option against righties. But Hamilton was far worse last year, to the point where optioning him to Triple-A on a couple of occasions was unquestionably the right move for the ballclub.

It's possible that the Red Sox eventually want Kristian Campbell to re-enter the mix at second base, possibly phasing out the need for Hamilton in the process. But on an offense that currently seems to be demanding a top-five Most Valuable Player finish from Roman Anthony in year two, it sure would be nice to have more veteran presence.

Not many Red Sox fans would accept an opening day infield that included Hamilton against a right-handed pitcher. And doing that with the freed-up payroll of salary-dumping Hicks would be an added insult.

More MLB: Red Sox's Updated Infield Options As Eugenio Suárez Signs With Reds