Insider Revives Red Sox–Ketel Marte Blockbuster Trade Buzz

The Boston Red Sox landed a shiny, new starting pitcher on Wednesday and are now one bat away from really contending in the American League.

The addition of Ranger Suárez really helps the organization. After missing on Alex Bregman, Boston responded and showed that it isn't afraid to sign an expensive free agent in their 30s. Suárez got $130 million from Boston over five years without an opt-out. That's a good deal for someone who immediately becomes the team's No. 2 ahead of Sonny Gray and Brayan Bello. Boston's rotation on paper arguably is the best in the American League. If Johan Oviedo -- who had a 3.57 ERA in nine starts in 2025 and came over this offseason from the Pittsburgh Pirates -- is your No. 5, you're doing something right.

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What the Suárez deal also does is give Boston options. Boston already had a surplus of talented starting pitchers on paper. Now, injuries pop up and will impact the team in some way, but there is a surplus on paper. Beyond these five, the Red Sox have Connelly Early, Payton Tolle, Patrick Sandoval, Kutter Crawford, and Kyle Harrison as rotation options. With that much depth, the Red Sox can afford to trade a hurler or two if they want to add another big bat. ESPN's Jeff Passan noted that Boston will turn to add another bat now with Suárez in the mix.

The Red Sox should call Arizona right now

"The Red Sox's first signing of the winter is a big one -- $130 million for Ranger Suárez -- and gives them a ton of rotation depth with Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray, Brayan Bello and others," Passan wrote. "Boston now will turn to adding another bat to its lineup, but that rotation is excellent."

One thing that was intriguing was shortly before the news broke about Suárez, USA Today's Bob Nightengale brought up the idea of Boston and Ketel Marte on "Foul Territory."

"They need a bat but if they could add another arm," Nightengale said. "You're going through eight or nine starters anyway, you know, why not? Yeah, they need a bat somewhere. I know the Diamondbacks said, 'Hey, we're not trading Ketel Marte' but would it surprise anybody in Spring Training if the Red Sox come back and say 'We're willing to give you this. We weren't going to give it to you before. We're going to give it to you now.' I can't believe the door is completely shut on the Marte trade talks."

Ari Alexander of 7News Boston WHDH also noted that he doesn't believe Marte is fully "off the market."

"Yes but he’s 'off the market,'" Alexander responded to a fan who said Marte is the perfect fit for Boston. "Which I don’t 100 percent believe, but at the moment sources are telling me he’s off the market, so I have to operate under that assumption in the forefront."

Boston was connected to Marte going back to the winter meetings until the trade talks around him were publicly shut down by Arizona. At the time, the fit only made sense if Alex Bregman didn't return, which he didn't. If the deal for Suárez, makes it easier for the Red Sox to offer a package Arizona would accept, that should be the way to go. If the Red Sox responded to the loss of Bregman by adding Suárez for five years and five seasons of Marte, that would be a dream response.

A rotation of Crochet, Suárez, Gray, Bello, and Oviedo is among the best already -- depending on how the club handles the two young guys in Tolle and Early. An infield with Willson Contreras, Marte, Trevor Story, and Marcelo Mayer would be elite. Plus, you still have one of the best outfields in the game led by Roman Anthony. That team could cook.

More MLB: Red Sox-Ranger Suárez Contract Has Key Difference From Alex Bregman