Red Sox-Brewers Trade Smoke Shows Boston's Urgency Increasing

The search is certainly wide...

Jul 3, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Milwaukee Brewers cap and glove during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox seem to be ratcheting up their search for an infielder, and leaving no stone unturned in the process.

All weekend, the buzz about the Red Sox potentially acquiring Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes continued to ramp up. They're also still clearly in the mix for Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner and utility man Matt Shaw, if Chicago decides it's best to give up one of those two.

However, on Monday, Red Sox insider Alex Speier of The Boston Globe linked an infielder to the Red Sox who almost no one would have guessed would be involved in trade rumors this winter.

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Is Brewers' Caleb Durbin available?

Oct 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin (21) celebrates in the dugout after scoring against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning during game three of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

According to Speier, the Red Sox have discussed trades for Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin, the former New York Yankees prospect who had a solid rookie season this past year and could theoretically play any of other infield positions besides first base.

"Multiple industry sources identified Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin as a potential Sox target. The 25-year-old finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .256/.334/.387 with 11 homers, 18 steals, and solid defense at third (along with cameos at short and second)," Speier wrote.

Speier seemed to indicate that talks were further along in terms of the Red Sox potentially landing Paredes, Hoerner, or Shaw. But Durbin either being added to the search or being revealed because the Red Sox's interest has potentially grown is revealing in itself.

Durbin is definitely in the mold of what the Red Sox have started looking for since the Ranger Suárez signing. He's 5-foot-7 and probably won't ever be a 25-homer guy, but the defense is rock-solid with the potential to grow, and he'd add to the team's speed identity.

Without knowing how serious the talks have been, though, it's safe to assume that a Milwaukee team that won 97 games last year would have a very high bar to consider dealing Durbin with five years of team control remaining.

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