Red Sox Insider Explains Why Ketel Marte Trade Is Best Move For Boston

Shore up second base at any cost?

Arizona Diamondbacks Ketel Marte (4) steps to the plate against the Texas Rangers in the eighth inning at Chase Field on Sept. 3, 2025. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox surely need more offense this winter, and the name Ketel Marte has begun to fly around the rumor mill at breakneck speed.

Having lost out on Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso in free agency, the Red Sox likely aren't going to land a 40-homer candidate at this point in the offseason. But they seem to be in on Marte, the Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman, who has put up a .913 OPS and 11.2 bWAR since the start of last season.

While there's no indication that a trade is close, the Red Sox's offseason rumor machine has begun churning out Marte storylines left and right. On Monday, a team insider provided legitimacy to all those rumors by pointing out how obvious a fit a Marte trade is for both sides.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Marte is perfect fit, explains Ian Browne

Ian Browne of MLB.com highlighted the Red Sox as one of the few teams with the resources to make a Marte trade, while repeatedly insisting that the 32-year-old is a missing piece at an important position.

"While trading pitching prospects generally isn’t something executives ... are keen on doing, Boston has sturdied up its foundation of pitching by loading up on arms in the past two MLB Drafts.," Browne wrote. "(Chief baseball officer Craig) Breslow has mentioned needing to get uncomfortable at times to make a trade of high magnitude. Only he knows how uncomfortable he is willing to get.

"But the one sure thing is that Marte would look very comfortable in the middle of the Boston batting order while giving the club some long-awaited stability at second base."

Browne also mentioned that the Red Sox would likely have to be prepared to give up an outfielder (namely, Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu), and/or a former top prospect in Marcelo Mayer or Kristian Campbell.

Whatever the cost, the Red Sox can be certain that a Marte trade would hurt. So did trading for Garrett Crochet last offseason, and that legitimately saved Boston's season in the long run.

Is it time to put all the cards on the table? Browne seems to think so, and any Red Sox fan would be well within their rights to agree.

More MLB: Where Red Sox's Perplexing Pursuit Of Phillies 3-Time All-Star Stands