Red Sox-Rangers Willson Contreras Speculation Would Be Nightmare for Boston

It's unfortunate how things have gone for the Boston Red Sox so far in 2026.

Boston won 89 games last season and should be a club in the mix for a top spot in the American League, especially because the American League has had a bad year overall so far in 2026. There are just five teams in the American League above .500 right now and yet the Red Sox are not one of them. Instead, the Red Sox are tied with the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and the Los Angeles Angels for the fewest wins in the American League with just 29.

The Red Sox had so much momentum heading into the offseason after the 2025 season wrapped and arguably just got in their own way. They did make great moves by bringing in Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray and Ranger Suárez, but letting Alex Bregman walk and not adding another big bat, along with Contreras, was a glaring mistake that has been felt all season. Boston finally got back to the playoffs last season and now are quickly among the worst overall teams in the American League. It's a tough look, especially because now there's plenty of speculation about where various guys on the roster could — or should — go before the trade deadline.

Should The Red Sox Consider A Willson Contreras Trade?

Jun 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) hits a home run during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

For example, Contreras was ranked as the No. 3 "most-wanted" hitter ahead of the deadline by Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer and the Texas Rangers were tabbed as the best landing spot for him.

"Best Landing Spot: Texas Rangers," Rymer wrote. "As a power-hitting first baseman, Willson Contreras occupies basically the same niche as Christian Walker. The difference is that Contreras is also a reliable on-base machine, with a career OBP of .354. This is where the Rangers fit comes into focus. They're generally doing better at getting on base than they did in 2025, but they're still only getting a .293 OBP from their first basemen. That's the fourth-worst mark in the league.

"If the Rangers were to add Contreras as their new everyday first baseman, they could shift Jake Burger into a platoon role. It's the best thing for him, given his career 119 wRC+ against lefties."

Landing Contreras was an excellent move by the Boston front office. He is slashing .304/.396/.570 with a .965 OPS, 16 homers, 43 RBIs, 11 doubles, 25 walks and 34 runs scored in 67 games played. Plus, he has been elite defensively at first base. There are few first basemen in baseball who have had a better season than Contreras. What makes him even better is the fact that he's under contract for the 2027 season and then has a $20 million club option for the 2028 season.

It's been a tough season for Boston, to say the least. While this is the case, Contreras has been given the fans someone to be excited about on a nightly basis. If the Red Sox were to move on, that would be a clear sign that this team is waving the white flag. To take it one step forward, if the Red Sox were to trade Contreras this summer, it would be a clear disaster for the franchise and a sign that more needs to be done. If the Red Sox won 89 games last year and then need to trade away their most consistent bat less than a year later, there will need to be a front office shakeup.

Rymer isn't wrong about Contreras making sense for the Rangers. He makes sense for any team that could use a boost at first base. But hopefully, the Red Sox don't oblige. Him and Ceddanne Rafaela have been the only two consistent bats for Boston all season. Wilyer Abreu has been good, but streaky.

Add us as a preferred source on Google