Red Sox's Reported Outfield Search Should End With Mets All-Star

Although it may not have been the seismic move Boston Red Sox fans wanted, the organization did add a solid piece on Wednesday by signing veteran utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Most of the chatter is going to be about what the club has lost, rather than what it just gained in Kiner-Falefa. He's an eight-year big league veteran with a Gold Glove Award under his belt and who can play all over the field. He also is a career .262 with a career .311 on-base percentage. Again, not a game-changing, blockbuster trade by any means, but a move that addresses a need. The idea of a trade is sometimes more exciting than the reality. For example, there have been many clamoring for a trade for Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs. Hoerner is great. He's 28 years old and is elite defensively. But he has one season of control and to get him, you'd have to pay a pretty penny in a trade, plus he's making $12 million in 2026.

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The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma reported that for the Cubs to trade Hoerner, they would need a return similar to what they gave up for Kyle Tucker last offseason. They traded Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski and Cam Smith. If the Cubs want something similar for Hoerner, that would be pretty wild, especially because they have a logjam anyway. He slashed .297/.345/.394 with seven homers, 61 RBIs and 29 stolen bases while winning a Gold Glove Award in 156 games played. Kiner-Falefa slahed .262/.297/.334 with two homers, 40 RBIs and 15 stolen bases and costed significantly less than Hoerner would've.

The Red Sox reportedly are looking for more

Sep 20, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Starling Marte (6) is greeted in the dugout after scoring in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Now, Boston has another right-handed bat. Reports have indicated the club isn't done as well. On Wednesday, The Athletic's Katie Woo and Will Sammon reported that the club has shown some interest in a right-handed outfielder. Surprising, but that's what the report said. In the aftermath of the Kiner-Falefa deal, numerous reports have indicated that the Red Sox are still looking for more.

If the concept now is a right-handed outfielder, the guy the club should be all over is two-time All-Star Starling Marte. Sammon and Woo noted that Marte is still available. He's 37 years old and slashed .270/.335/.410 with nine homers and 34 RBIs in 98 games in 2025. He's a career .285 hitter with 163 total homers and who has had plenty of success throughout his 14-year career, plus two Gold Glove Awards.

It would be somewhat surprising to see an outfielder come in with the surplus already. But if the idea is a bench bat to try to replace Rob Refsnyder, Marte could help with that. More importantly, he's viewed highly across the league. Back in August, Juan Soto said he felt like Marte was the captain of the Mets, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. Boston didn't just lose an important bat in Alex Bregman; they lost a massive voice in the clubhouse. Marte is someone who is clearly viewed in a high light around the league. If Boston is still adding and outfield is the area, Marte should be the guy.

More MLB: Red Sox Already Looking for More After Isiah Kiner-Falefa Addition