Red Sox May Not Have to Give Up Jarren Duran in Isaac Paredes-Astros Swap

Isaac Paredes and Jarren Duran are two players who can't open their eyes every day without hearing their names floated in trade rumors.

The Boston Red Sox, who have outfielders to spare, need a third baseman in the wake of Alex Bregman's departure, and the Houston Astros, who need outfielders, have Paredes as an awkward extra piece (though a very good one) due to Carlos Correa and Christian Walker occupying third and first base.

Over the weekend, an unsubstantiated report suggested that something was close between the Astros and Red Sox that would send Paredes to Boston. While that doesn't appear to be the case, there's definitely still smoke indicating that a trade is possible.

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Is Abreu better fit for Astros than Duran?

On Monday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic shot down the idea that the Red Sox and Astros had somehow accelerated trade talks over the last few days during the most recent episode of the "Crush City Territory" podcast.

"There was some scuttlebutt that talks were getting close, or ramping up, and that is not true," Rome said. "The Red Sox may have re-engaged or checked in once Bregman officially went to Chicago, but there is nothing close. There is nothing imminent. This has not accelerated anything."

Meanwhile, in an update that is quite intriguing to two Red Sox outfielders in particular, Rome suggested that the Astros might prefer to acquire Wilyer Abreu from Boston over the more expensive Duran.

"What the Astros are intrigued by, from the Red Sox, is their surplus of young outfielders," Rome said. "I think Jarren Duran fits, on paper, what the Astros need. I would also offer you Wilyer Abreu. Wilyer Abreu is somebody they know a lot better than Jarren Duran. (He) is also not making any money.

"I would offer you Wilyer Abreu as somebody that maybe intrigues them a little bit more."

Duran and Abreu both outperformed Paredes last season on a WAR-per-game basis, which doesn't favor Paredes as a slow-footed, power-hitting third baseman with a below-average glove. The Astros would have to include more pieces than just Paredes to land Duran, and presumably, the same would be true of Abreu, who is under team control for four years.

The whole storyline is very much worth monitoring, but as we've now established, there's no reason to go printing Paredes Red Sox jerseys yet.

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