Red Sox Get Much-Needed Infield Update Before Spring Training

You would think that with Spring Training just days away, the trade buzz would be starting to die down around the Boston Red Sox.

That is not the case at all, though.

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Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training by Feb. 10 and yet the Red Sox seemingly are still looking around. On Sunday, MassLive.com's Sean McAdam noted that it's "far more likely" the club trades for an infielder than rolls with Isiah Kiner-Falefa as an everyday player.

"We know that Trevor Story is the shortstop and Willson Contreras is the first baseman and Marcelo Mayer will have a significant role. After that, it gets murky," McAdam wrote. "Is Mayer the third baseman? And if he is, how regularly does he play there and can he stay healthy through an entire season? Even if Mayer is more-or-less the everyday third baseman, what does the team do at second base.

The Red Sox are looking

Dec 9, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

"On the free agent front, there’s not a lot left from which to choose. The Red Sox might have signed the best remaining infielder when they landed Isiah Kiner-Falefa this past week and Kiner-Falefa is more of a quality depth piece rather than a starting infielder. It’s far more likely the Red Sox trade for the infielder they so obviously need. That will either deplete their overcrowded outfield or further strip them of starting pitching depth. Either way, the composition of the team will look different than it currently does."

At this point, the player who has been most consistently linked to Boston is Houston Astros infielder Isaac Paredes. Astros insider Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported on the "Crush City Territory" podcast that Houston's talks around Paredes have intensified and specifically mentioned Boston as a team that has been interested.

"What I can tell you, in conversations over the last 48-to-72 hours, is (that) the talks have intensified," Rome said. "There appears to be some pretty direct motivation, and it appears to me now that things are gaining some momentum. I have only heard Isaac Paredes, as what they are gaining momentum in.

"I've heard as many as five teams have shown legitimate and aggressive interest. ... The Boston Red Sox, as we know, they remain interested in Paredes, and then according to people I've talked to, the Pittsburgh Pirates have also picked up their pursuits there."

Could he be the next option for Boston?

More MLB: Red Sox Mock Trade: 3-for-1 Swap Brings Isaac Paredes to Boston