Red Sox-Willson Contreras Trade Buzz Is Laughable at This Point

The Boston Red Sox should be looking to add in a big way this summer, not subtract.

Jun 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) celebrates scoring in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Boston Red Sox are going to be interesting to watch at the trade deadline, but not for the same reason as they would've been a few weeks ago.

On June 24, the Red Sox lost against the Colorado Rockies, 8-6, to drop to 32-46 on the season. At that point, it seemed like the campaign was over for Boston. With a little over one month to go until the trade deadline, at the time, and a four-game series against the New York Yankees after the Rockies series, things were bleak. But Boston swept the Yankees and a few weeks later find itself at 46-48 on the season and just a half-game out of a playoff spot.

Boston has turned its season around and has given itself a chance to at least fight for a playoff. The speculation around the team, for the most part, has shifted to the idea of buying, rather than selling. But there still is some speculation out there that seemingly ignores reality. For example, on Wednesday, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller shared a story highlighting All-Stars who "could be on the trade block." Miller mentioned both Aroldis Chapman and Willson Contreras.

The Red Sox Look Like Potential Buyer, Not Sellers

Jul 7, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) hits a two-run double against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Aroldis Chapman, LHP; Willson Contreras, 1B, Boston Red Sox," Miller wrote. "Chapman's Contract Status: $13M in 2026, conditional $13M option for 2027. Contreras' Contract Status: $14M in 2026, $13M in 2027, $20M club option (or $7.5M buyout) for 2028. Team Status: 46-48, 0.5 GB for wild card, 10 GB for division. Likelihood of Trade: Possible, but far less likely than a month ago. Presumably Interested Parties: Mariners, Cubs, Pirates and White Sox for Chapman; Rangers, Marlins and Tigers for Contreras."

Sure, Miller wrote that a deal is less likely than a month ago, but even mentioning Contreras ignores what he specifically said during the All-Star break. Contreras, who has a no-trade clause, specifically said during the All-Star break that he told the front office that he wants to stay in Boston.

Contreras has a no-trade clause and has publicly said that he told the front office he's not willing to waive the no-trade clause and leave. Mix that with the fact that Boston is riding a nine-game winning streak, has won 14 of 16 games, and is in the hunt for a playoff spot and it's pretty safe to assume that Contreras is going to be in Boston on Aug. 4.

Speculation is fun, but not everything is realistic. At this point, it's not realistic to expect to see Contreras on the move.