Red Sox Have Critical Advantage in Isaac Paredes Trade Talks

Perhaps there's a reason it feels like this last move of the offseason for the Boston Red Sox might be taking an extra couple of weeks.

The Red Sox need another infielder, they need more right-handed power, and they are most likely to find it in a trade. All of those things point to Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes, who was displaced from that starting job when Houston acquired Carlos Correa at the July deadline.

If the Red Sox are destined to land Paredes, there could be good reason for them to keep waiting the Astros out, as one insider recently detailed.

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Why Astros have to trade someone

May 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) and third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) smile after scoring against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

During an appearance on the "Gallant Says" podcast, Astros insider Chandler Rome of The Athletic expressed his belief that someone from the Astros infield had to be traded by the end of spring training, and Paredes seemed to be the most likely candidate.

"I would be surprised if the Astros left Palm Beach at the end of March with these five infielders on the roster," Rome said. " I think they are listening on Isaac Paredes, who the Boston Red Sox very very much like.

"The Astros do not want to trade Isaac Paredes. ... That has been made abundantly clear to me by many people. The problem is, it's going to be impossible for all of those guys to play every day. ... It's not going to go well if you approach and say, 'Hey, we think you're going to play like four days a week.'"

Obviously, the Red Sox have a logjam of their own in the outfield, but in theory, either Jarren Duran or Roman Anthony could serve as the designated hitter on most days, and Ceddanne Rafaela could even play second base on occasion. The Astros don't have any of those luxuries, as Yordan Alvarez is the best hitter on the team and needs to DH almost every game.

And while there could be other suitors out there, it seems significant that Rome immediately mentioned the Red Sox. They make the most sense for Paredes, but if Houston currently wants Wilyer Abreu, which has been widely speculated, perhaps Boston's thinking is that it can keep waiting until the Astros will either accept something less or kick in better prospects on their end.

Trades are all about leverage, and in this case, Boston seems to have some good ammo on their side.

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