Red Sox 'Increasingly Unlikely' to Deal 9-Time All-Star Away

The Boston Red Sox may not move on from the flamethrower after all this summer.

Jun 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) after allowing a hit in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A few weeks ago, the Boston Red Sox were being talked about as if it were guaranteed that they would sell off pieces ahead of the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline. Now, that isn't the case any longer.

Boston is not only red-hot right now, but it is actually above .500. Just a few weeks ago, the Red Sox were 14 games below .500, which justified all of the chatter about various potential trade candidates who could be on their way out of Boston.

It's not often you see a team turn things around in the way that Boston has over the last few weeks. The Red Sox have won 12 games in a row and 17 out of their last 19 games. On top of the Red Sox playing well, MLB Network's Jon Morosi wrote on Friday that a trade involving All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman is "increasingly unlikely" to happen this summer now.

The Red Sox Shouldn't Sell Any Pieces

Jul 17, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) celebrates with catcher Connor Wong (12) after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"The Red Sox open the 2nd half with a 40.1 percent chance of reaching the postseason, per FanGraphs," Morosi wrote. "An Aroldis Chapman trade is increasingly unlikely to happen at all."

This was before the Red Sox won the first three games of a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Now, that number has jumped up to 53.4 percent for the Red Sox to make the playoffs. Boston has gone from the bottom of the standings to being just one of just six teams in the American League to be .500 or above at this point in the season.

With that being said, there's no reason for Boston to trade Chapman at all. At one point, the conversation was different. ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel even gave him a 90 percent chance of being moved. But, again, things have changed. He has a 2.05 ERA and 21 saves in 32 total appearances this season for the organization. He has also tossed 30 2/3 innings on the season. When he reaches 40 innings, his 2027 option will become guaranteed, if he passes a physical at the end of the season as well.

Boston should not only keep him this summer, but keep him around next season as well. The big lefty has done nothing short of dominate since he joined the organization ahead of the 2025 Major League Baseball season. The conversation has shifted around Boston, to say the least. Now, it's time for the Red Sox to add another piece to the club and really go for it with the trade deadline coming.