MLB Mock Trade: Red Sox Acquire Ketel Marte from Diamondbacks in Stunning Blockbuster Deal.

Ketel Marte has been rated as the best second baseman in all of baseball — which is exactly why the Diamondbacks' window to trade him is closing fast. With his 10-and-5 rights kicking in on April 6, giving him full no-trade protection, Arizona has just weeks to maximize his value. Mike Hazen can say the trade talks are dead all he wants, but when the right package lands on his desk, the phone will ring again.

And the Boston Red Sox have exactly what Arizona needs.

The Trade

Red Sox Acquire:

• Ketel Marte, 2B

Diamondbacks Acquire:

• Jarren Duran, OF

• Connelly Early, LHP

Why This Makes Sense Now

The key detail everyone is missing: Arizona has long coveted Jarren Duran.

Red Sox insider Sean McAdam reported earlier this month that “the Diamondbacks have long coveted Jarren Duran and are known to have interest in both (Payton) Tolle and (Connelly) Early.” The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey added that a package including “Tolle or Early and Duran or Rafaela” could “reignite conversations.”

That specific package was never formally offered. The Red Sox were unwilling to include their top pitching prospects before signing Ranger Suárez to a five-year, $130 million deal. Now? Boston has rotation depth to spare: Garrett Crochet, Suárez, Sonny Gray, Brayan Bello, Johan Oviedo, Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval—plus Tolle and Early waiting in the wings.

The calculus has changed. And if Early isn’t enough, the Sox still have Payton Tolle (MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 overall prospect) as their trump card.

Fantasy Baseball Impact

Ketel Marte becomes an instant top-three second baseman in fantasy formats. His move to Fenway Park actually helps his profile—the Green Monster suppresses home runs but creates extra-base hit opportunities, and Marte’s career .283/.358/.493 slash plays anywhere. The switch-hitter posted a 145 wRC+ in 2025 with 28 homers in just 126 games.

Jarren Duran takes a hit moving from Fenway to Chase Field, but the spacious Arizona outfield suits his elite speed (100th percentile sprint speed). His fantasy value stabilizes around OF2 territory with 20-30 potential in a full season.

Why the Red Sox Do This

Former Boston Red Sox legend Dustin Pedroia watches on as his teammates play against the Tampa Bay Rays. — Apr 19, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) looks on from the dugout against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Boston hasn’t had a stable second baseman since Manny Machado ended Dustin Pedroia’s career on that fateful night in Baltimore in 2017. The parade of replacements—Ian Kinsler, Eduardo Nunez, Brock Holt, Michael Chavis, Kiké Hernández, Trevor Story, David Hamilton, Vaughn Grissom—tells the story.

Marte is the best second baseman in baseball. Full stop. MLB Network ranked him No. 1 at the position for the second consecutive year. His 140 wRC+ over the past three seasons ranks among the top-10 hitters in the sport. He’s a switch-hitter who brings elite contact skills (16.7% K-rate) and legitimate 25-30 home run power.

The contract is a dream: $15 million in 2026, $12 million in 2027, then modest escalations through 2030 with a player option for 2031. That’s $102.5 million remaining—with $41 million deferred. If Marte hit free agency this winter, he’d command north of $150 million.

After losing Alex Bregman to the Cubs and trading Rafael Devers last summer, the Red Sox need a middle-of-the-order presence. Marte fills that void while also providing Gold Glove-caliber defense at a premium position.

Why the Diamondbacks Do This

Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran breaks his bat against the New York Yankees in the Wilcard round of the MLB playoffs. — Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) breaks his bat as he lines out during the first inning against the New York Yankees during game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The surface-level reaction: why would Arizona trade its best hitter?

Look deeper. The Diamondbacks need pitching—desperately. Their rotation is decimated by injuries, and the bullpen posted a 4.82 ERA in 2025 (27th in baseball). Ken Rosenthal reported that Arizona “almost certainly will seek young pitching” in any Marte deal.

Connelly Early checks that box. The 23-year-old lefty rocketed through the system in 2025, posting a 2.51 ERA at Double-A Portland before a late-season promotion to Triple-A (2.83 ERA in six starts). MLB Pipeline ranks him as Boston’s No. 4 prospect and the No. 56 overall prospect in baseball. His changeup grades as plus-plus, and his fastball now touches 96 after a velocity spike this spring. He has six years of team control.

Then there’s Duran.

The 2024 All-Star Game MVP produced 10.7 fWAR over the past two seasons—remarkably similar to Marte’s 10.9 fWAR over the same span. Duran brings elite speed (33 stolen bases in 2024), extra-base hit power (led the AL in triples in both 2024 and 2025), and three years of team control at a manageable $7.7 million salary.

Most importantly, Duran solves Arizona’s outfield puzzle. Corbin Carroll is a Gold Glove-caliber right fielder but struggled when forced to play center during Alek Thomas’s injury. His shoulder history makes the spacious NL West outfields a concern. Moving Duran into center allows Carroll to stay in right, where his +10 Outs Above Average in 2025 made him one of baseball’s best defenders.

The Diamondbacks also acquired Nolan Arenado this winter, which allows them to shuffle their infield: Arenado at third, Jordan Lawlar at shortstop, and Geraldo Perdomo sliding to second base.

The April 6 Deadline

Here’s the real pressure point: Marte gains 10-and-5 rights on the 10th day of the 2026 season—approximately April 6. After that date, he can veto any trade to any team.

That’s not some abstract CBA technicality. It’s a hard deadline that fundamentally changes Arizona’s leverage. Any team acquiring Marte after April 6 needs his blessing. Any team acquiring Marte before April 6 gets him under contract through 2030 with no restrictions.

Hazen knows this. Every GM in baseball knows this. The “Marte is off the market” posturing is exactly that—posturing. Arizona set a high price, didn’t get it at the Winter Meetings, and publicly shut things down to maintain credibility.

But when Craig Breslow calls with Duran and Early on the table—a package that addresses both the outfield and the rotation while adding years of controllable talent—Hazen will listen.

The clock is ticking.