The Boston Red Sox have too many outfielders and not enough infielders on paper.
That’s why Jarren Duran has been viewed as a trade candidate all offseason. While no deal has been reached yet, it sounds like they’re still trying.
They might just have a match if they call up the Houston Astros.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden thinks a Duran trade for Isaac Paredes could help everyone involved.
“They haven’t been close on a deal involving Duran yet, but that could change during spring training. The Astros could be a good match, as they don’t have an obvious spot for Isaac Paredes to play this season now that they have Carlos Correa, and Houston needs outfield upgrades. If the Red Sox decide to keep Duran and listen on (Wilyer) Abreu instead, the Astros would also be a good fit.”
Paredes is a two-time All Star who originally played for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Most importantly, Paredes has some big league experience at both third base and second base. He’s not the greatest of fielders, but that’s not the point here.
Boston currently has promising youngster Marcelo Mayer to fill one of those two spots. Paredes could take the other.
The Red Sox could also DH Paredes on some days, because that’s the slot Duran may have been ticketed for already. But at least they’d add that infield flexibility that they don’t have right now.
The other fun part of Paredes? He pulls the ball as much as anyone in baseball. Every home run he hit in 2024 was to the pull side of the ballpark.
He would be quite the fun right-handed hitter to put in front of the Green Monster.
