Red Sox-Yordan Alvarez Trade Speculation Actually Makes Sense

It's too early for wild trade speculation, but the Boston Red Sox should absolutely give the Houston Astros a call.

Apr 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez (44) bats during the first inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox need more pop in the middle of the order, to say the least.

Boston currently is in last place in baseball with just 13 homers. That's not all, though. Boston is 26th in the league right now in runs scored with just 90 in 24 games played. That's a measly 3.75 runs per game. You're not going to contend when you can't hit the ball out of the ballpark and simply can't score in general. It's also not as if the club makes up for a lack of power by being on-base machines. They do not. Boston is 23rd in the league with a .226 team batting average and a .310 on-base percentage. Just a brutal showing for the Red Sox to kick off the 2026 season.

When it comes to power, the answer won't necessarily come from within. Realistically, guys like Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Willson Contreras and Trevor Story should all be 20-plus homer guys when the club is rolling. Right now, only Contreras and Abreu are playing at that level. Contreras and Abreu have combined to launch more than half of the club's homers in general, with seven of Boston's 13 total. There isn't a ton of power down in Triple-A right now, either. Four guys are tied for the Triple-A Worcester lead with three homers (Allan Castro, Tsung-Che Cheng, Mickey Gasper and Nick Sogard).

It has been known — and talked about constantly since the offseason — that the Red Sox needed power and it's a miscalculation that the club didn't land another power bat alongside Contreras. If the Red Sox want to solve the problem, it's going to need to come externally. Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer floated a very intriguing idea. Rymer shared a column pinpointing the top-10 landing spots for Yordan Alvarez if the Houston Astros opt to flip him and had Boston at No. 2, behind just the New York Mets.

"Why This Is a Good Fit: True, the last thing the Red Sox need is another left-handed hitter who only fits at DH or in left field. It's hard enough to get at-bats for Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida," Rymer wrote. "Rather, the issue here is how badly this offense needs a slugger. It has produced only 13 home runs, tying for last in MLB with the Giants. And there might not be a ton more power to be squeezed out of their incumbents.

The Red Sox Should Call Houston

Apr 21, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) hits an RBI double against the Cleveland Guardians during the fifth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

"Alvarez is the game-changer the Red Sox need to lift their offense and get them out of a pattern of close games. He's also one of few hitters who could match up with Aaron Judge if an October grudge match with the Yankees comes to fruition."

This is just speculation, of course, but it is the exact type of move Boston really needs to turn things around offensively. First and foremost, Alvarez has been the best offensive player in the game this year. He's slashing .347/.466/.779 with 11 homers and 26 RBIs. All of these numbers are leading the American League. He's also leading the league with 33 base hits and an eye-popping 1.245 OPS in 26 games. If the Astros shop him for some reason, Boston should be at the front of the line.

He landed a six-year, $115 million deal with Houston that still has two more seasons left after the 2026 campaign. Plus, he's just 28 years old.

There's really no reason why the Astros should trade a player this good. But, if they do decide to make him available, Boston should be prepared to make a play. Right now, the Red Sox have a logjam in the outfield and designated hitter. Boston should use that to its advantage. Start a package off with Jarren Duran along with elite prospects, maybe No. 2 prospect Franklin Arias and No. 3 prospect Kyson Witherspoon, and see if that would get Houston's interest. Or, maybe some sort of package centered around Duran and Yoshida along with Witherspoon and maybe a lower pitching prospect, like No. 6 prospect Jake Bennett.

Again, the Astros shouldn't trade Alvarez. If he keeps playing like this, he'll be the AL Most Valuable Player. But if for some reason the Astros do make him available, he's the type of offensive player that would fix Boston's power problem.