Red Sox Predicted To Trade Wilyer Abreu For $56M All-Star Pitcher

Is this the arm the Red Sox should target?

Aug 8, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) hits a two-run home run during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox's trade situation this offseason is a fascinating one to try and project.

Any of the team's starting outfielders besides Roman Anthony could feasibly be moved. Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu just won Gold Gloves (Abreu's second) and Jarren Duran is only a year removed from winning All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.

Who gets moved may depend on which starting pitcher the Red Sox get back, and one baseball writer had a fairly surprising answer to that hypothetical on Tuesday.

Red Sox predicted to move on from Abreu for Pirates righty

Sep 19, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller (23) delivers a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter predicted Tuesday that the Red Sox would acquire Mitch Keller from the Pittsburgh Pirates this winter, and that Abreu would be the outfielder headed back to Pittsburgh to complete the deal.

"Mitch Keller has three years and $55.7 million remaining on the five-year extension he signed with the Pirates, and while he is slated to be the highest-paid player on the Pittsburgh roster in 2026, that price tag is still well below his market value," wrote.

"Jarren Duran has been the Red Sox outfielder most often mentioned in trade talks, but Wilyer Abreu also has significant value as a 26-year-old with club control through 2029 coming off a second straight 3-WAR season. The 2024 Gold Glove winner has a 118 OPS in 949 plate appearances in the big leagues, and he would immediately become one of Pittsburgh's top bats."

Keller, who is only turning 30 next April, has one All-Star selection under his belt, but he's best suited as a No. 3 starter on a good team. He put up a 4.19 ERA in 176 1/3 innings this past year, good for just a 102 ERA+.

The price tags on starting pitching have gotten awfully high if three years of Keller is the best the Red Sox can do for four years of Abreu. That's not to say a deal like this won't happen, but fans would likely be much more comfortable adding in a prospect or two and trying for Minnesota Twins star Joe Ryan.

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