Red Sox Options After Reported Brendan Donovan-Mariners Blockbuster

Another infield option reportedly is off the board for the Boston Red Sox for the second straight day.

Alex Bregman was a great member of the organization in 2025 and seemed like an obvious option for the club in free agency all offseason. Things didn't work out, though. The Red Sox missed out as the Chicago Cubs swooped in and landed him. Since then, a handful of infielders have been consistently linked to the Red Sox as replacement options, including Brendan Donovan, Eugenio Suárez, Nico Hoerner, Matt Shaw and Isaac Paredes.

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On Sunday, Suárez came off the board and landed with the Cincinnati Reds. On Monday, The Athletic's Katie Woo and Chad Jennings reported that the St. Louis Cardinals and Seattle Mariners were "close" to finalizing a three-team trade centered around Donovan.

The Red Sox are running out of options

Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) celebrates his double against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

"The St. Louis Cardinals are close to finalizing a trade to send All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners, multiple sources tell The Athletic. According to a league source, the move may be part of a three-team deal involving the Tampa Bay Rays. The trade is believed to be pending medicals."

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the Tampa Bay Rays will be the third team involved when the reported deal gets over the finish line.

So, with Donovan reportedly off the market and Suárez also gone. Now, what? There aren't a lot of options. The Boston Globe's Tim Healey said Paredes "isn't a great fit" but noted that the Cubs "are listening" on Hoerner and Shaw.

"Donovan is off the board. Paredes isn't a great fit, nor was Suárez," Healey wrote. "Is Red Sox' best infield option paying up for Hoerner or Shaw? Cubs are listening. Cost would be high. Would take guts. Hoerner especially would be proof of Breslow's 'focus on '26, not the future' approach."

The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reported that there's a preference for Marcelo Mayer to play third base. Any of Hoerner, Shaw or Paredes could play second base. If the preference is defense — which it seems to be, or at least that's why the team didn't sign Suárez — then Hoerner would be the best option. He's a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, but is under contract for just one season.

Options are running out for Boston.

More MLB: Why Red Sox Didn't Sign All-Star Slugger Eugenio Suárez