Red Sox 'Could Be Tempted' to Cut Ties With 8-Time All-Star

If the Boston Red Sox don't start stacking up wins soon, we could see some changes this summer.

Mar 2, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

It's starting to get close to crunch time for the Boston Red Sox.

As of writing, there are 56 days left until the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline. The deadline is coming on Aug. 3. If it were tomorrow, Boston would certainly be a seller seeing how the club has a 27-36 record. Boston will kick off a three-game series on the road on Monday night against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. On the bright side, the Red Sox's pitching has been awesome, for the most part. Connelly Early will get the ball on Monday followed by Payton Tolle on Tuesday. Red Sox No. 6 prospect Jake Bennett is the leading candidate to start on Wednesday with Brayan Bello down in Triple-A.

Being nine games under .500 on June 8, it's completely insurmountable, but the Red Sox can't waste any more time. The clock is ticking. Each loss puts the club under a microscope even more. If the club keeps stacking losses, Boston won't be talked about as a club that could go either way ahead of the trade deadline, but as a full-blown seller. On Sunday, MLB.com shared a story pinpointing the top trade chip from each club and Boston's shouldn't surprise anyone: All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman.

The Clock Is Ticking For Boston

Jun 5, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

"Red Sox: LHP Aroldis Chapman," MLB.com's Ian Browne wrote. "It has been a struggle for the Red Sox to gain momentum this season, and if that continues over the next few weeks, the club could be tempted to deal Chapman, perhaps their most dominant performer. Chapman has converted his last 28 save opportunities dating back to July 26, 2025, giving up zero runs and three hits in those appearances. At 38, the lefty has shown zero signs of slowing down. He could land Boston a nice return."

Chapman has gotten a lot of buzz recently, Browne saying Boston "could be tempted" to move on from the flamethrower is just the latest. The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reported that the club has fielded calls on Chapman, Justin Slaten, and Garrett Whitlock, but has told teams they aren't available right now. USA Today's Bob Nightengale shared in a column on Sunday that Chapman is "expected" to be moved this summer. It's arguably a bit early to say Chapman is "expected" to be moved, because Boston is one hot week away from quieting the noise.

But it's pretty clear that if the Red Sox are unable to turn things around, Chapman is going to be the guy that contenders around the league want. It's hard not to. He's an eight-time All-Star with a 0.46 ERA and a 26-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 20 appearances this season. He's a game-changer at the end of games.