Red Sox-Phillies Bryce Harper Mock Trade to Really Jumpstart Offseason

One thing that Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has shown multiple times since taking over the organization is that he's not afraid to make a splash in the trade market.

If you look at the Red Sox's 2026 roster, you'll notice a handful of guys were added by way of trade. Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray, Erik Miller, Johan Oviedo, Adley Rutschman, Curtis Mead, Andruw Monasterio, Caleb Durbin, Eli White and Willson Contreras, among others. The trade market has been Boston's avenue of choice to improve and nothing should be ruled out this winter. Sure, Boston's farm system isn't as good as it was a few years ago, in large part due to the trades, as well as promotions to the big leagues. But there are still plenty of pieces that could be used to bring talent to town this winter.

Arguably, the perfect fit would be Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and USA Today's Bob Nightengale both have insinuated that Harper could be floated by the Phillies this offseason as a potential trade chip, if he is willing to waive his no-trade clause. We already have made the case for why he would be a great fit for Boston. But what could an actual trade look like? Here's a mock trade both sides should consider.

Red Sox Receive: OF/1B Bryce Harper

Sep 30, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper (3) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Phillies Receive: OF Jarren Duran, INF/OF Kristian Campbell, SP Tanner Houck

Aug 30, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) runs off the field at the end of the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's important to note that this is a mock trade. It's far more difficult to actually get a deal done, rather than talking about the idea. When it comes to Harper, the most important variables are whether the Phillies actually would be interested in trading the two-time MVP and then whether he would even be willing to waive his no-trade clause. If the answer to both of those questions was, "yes." Then, you could proceed.

The Phillies notably had a shaky outfield in 2026, plus Adolis Garcia is heading to free agency. Duran had a tough 2026 season, but this is also a guy who had 9.0 wins above replacement in 2024 and 4.9 wins above replacement in 2025. There are reasons to believe that he could get back to that level. Campbell would be the jewel of the deal. He's just 24 years old and already has a long-term deal. He could play in the outfield, or replace Luis Arraez in the infield.

When it comes to Houck, he's someone who is healthy now and who was an All-Star in his last full season in 2024. He got hurt in 2025 and missed all of the 2026 season, except the regular season finale. Still, he could either help in the rotation, or in the bullpen. Houck was selected in the first round of the MLB Draft in 2017, when Dave Dombrowski was still Boston's president of baseball operations.

Again, the idea of a Harper deal is a pipe dream right now. If the Phillies shop him and he is willing to waive his no-trade clause, then this could be more realistic. But there are also finances involved. He has five years left on his deal and will make just over $27 million in 2027 and 2028. Then, he'll make just over $23 million in each of the final three seasons. Are the Red Sox willing to take on that type of money? It would be better than spending something similar on Randy Arozarena or Seiya Suzuki.

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