The Boston Red Sox may very well fail in their attempt to bring in a key target. Boston is fully expected to revamp its infield during the offseason. This could still be the case even if they manage to bring back Alex Bregman. The third baseman recently opted out of his contract with the club but is predicted to return on a fresh deal.
Outside of the All-Star, the Red Sox have also been heavily linked with a trade for Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. The two-time Silver Slugger is widely seen as a significant upgrade on Boston’s current group of players at the position. Nevertheless, the Tampa Bay Rays may be able to offer a better trade package to Arizona.
Arizona Republic reporter Nick Piecoro is claiming that the Diamondbacks want to acquire starting pitching if they trade Marte. This is where the Rays could have an upper hand in the negotiations. Piecoro even reported that Tampa has discussed potentially sending right-handers Shane Baz and Ryan Pepiot to Arizona for Marte. While the offer is enticing, an official agreement is not yet finalized.
Boston Red Sox may not be Able to Match Tampa’s Big Offer for Ketel Marte
GettyKetel Marte is one of the top players on the trading block this offseason.
Baseball insider Jon Morosi also touched on the developing situation during an interview on the MLB Network on December 12. “If the Diamondbacks are to trade [Marte], they want to get at least one, if not two, Major League-ready starting pitchers,” claimed Morosi. “That is the need on the part of the Diamondbacks.”
Arizona pitchers managed to rack up 68 total quality starts throughout the 2025 season. This figure was the sixth-best mark among all teams on the campaign. However, starters Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are both free agents now, and their futures remain uncertain. On top of this, Arizona ace Corbin Burnes is expected to miss a significant portion of the 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery.
The Diamondbacks have agreed terms with free agent pitcher Michael Soroka on December 8. Nevertheless, the National League West team is still looking to add arms. Soroka previously made the All-Star team in 2019, but has failed to regain his form after dealing with multiple injuries. He previously suffered two freak Achilles injuries in 2020 and 2021.
Red Sox do Have Quality Pitchers to Offer the Diamondbacks
It remains to be seen what players Boston would be willing to give up for Marte, or any other top player on the market. Most of the team’s trade bait this winter, however, has consisted of Jarren Duran. The Red Sox have a plethora of outfielders and could use the talented Duran to help get a top player in another position.
Nevertheless, Duran is not the only potential trade piece for Boston. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale proclaimed on December 10 that the Red Sox have the necessary pitching depth to appease Arizona in a potential deal for Marte. Boston would obviously have to outbid Tampa or any other team, though. Offering up similar pitchers such as Baz and Pepiot could be difficult.
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