Red Sox Would Likely Need To Trade Stud Outfielder For Isaac Paredes

There's no easy solution here...

Jul 4, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox might have an outfielder to spare, but that doesn't mean it's an easy decision to let one of them go.

Oh, you want to trade Jarren Duran? Be prepared for it to hurt if he reverts to his nine-WAR season from 2024. Trade Ceddanne Rafaela instead? That guy could win eight to ten more Gold Gloves in center field wearing another uniform.

There's frankly nothing easy about it. However, to get the finishing piece they need for their offseason, the Red Sox would likely have to let one of those two go.

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

Red Sox's price for Isaac Paredes?

Rumors of the Red Sox trading for Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes have spread like wildfire since Boston lost Alex Bregman and agreed to terms with free-agent pitcher Ranger Suárez, all within the last eight days.

According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the Red Sox would likely have to part ways with either Duran or Rafaela to convince the Astros to part ways with Paredes, who has two years left on his contract and would be a fantastic fit for Fenway Park with his extreme pull approach.

"Boston expressed interest in Isaac Paredes during the Winter Meetings and, now without Bregman, could re-engage in its pursuit of Houston’s pull-happy third baseman," wrote Rome. "Multiple team sources have indicated the Astros have no interest in moving Paredes, but also maintain he must get regular at-bats for Houston’s lineup to reach its full potential.

"Paredes is valuable to the 2026 Astros, but could shopping him yield something just as important? Houston’s outfield is unsettled. If Boston dangles either Cedanne Rafaela or Jarren Duran in any potential discussions for Paredes, might he listen? It’d be foolish not to."

Value-wise, if the Red Sox were giving up either of those outfielders, the Astros would figure to add more pieces into the deal to even things out. But it's unlikely those pieces would be current major leaguers, and if they were, they'd probably be relief pitchers.

One can see the pieces start to fit into place for both sides, but a deal of this magnitude has the potential to come back and haunt either squad, which makes finalizing it all the more difficult.

More MLB: Mets Have Some Intriguing Red Sox Trade Candidates After Bo Bichette News