Insider believes Red Sox have ‘another move in them’ this offseason to improve infield

Boston Red Sox

While pitchers and catchers report for spring training in less than two weeks, multiple reports indicate that the Red Sox might make another move.

By Conor Roche

January 31, 2026 | 1:02 PM

2 minutes to read

The Red Sox have had a somewhat active offseason, but they still have a clear need to address: adding another infielder.

Even with spring training set to open in less than two weeks, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan thinks that the Red Sox have another trade to make ahead of the 2026 season. However, he’s not sure who might be the infielder they wind up landing.

“I think the Red Sox have another move in them, yes,” Passan said in a Q&A on Threads. “I’m not sure, even though they seem to match up with the Cubs, that there’s anything in the cards there. Still think Isaac Paredes would fit, but Houston could instead move Christian Walker.”

In another report, there’s been a “sense” that the Red Sox have been prioritizing defensive infield help rather than an infielder with power, The Boston Globe‘s Alex Speier reported.

Paredes has been commonly speculated as a potential target for the Red Sox ever since Alex Bregman signed a deal with the Cubs earlier in January. Paredes, 26, has been a pretty consistent hitter over the last few years. The third baseman hit .254 with 20 homers, 53 RBIs, and a .809 OPS in 102 games last season. Paredes logged a .234 batting average and a .776 OPS in the three seasons prior to 2025, averaging roughly 23 homers per season when he was with the Rays and Cubs.

While the Astros are dealing with a bit of an infield logjam, they don’t necessarily need to trade Paredes. He still has two years left of team control, and he was the headline player the Astros got back from the Cubs when they traded Kyle Tucker last offseason.

Walker, meanwhile, would certainly give the Red Sox’ lineup some extra pop. The 34-year-old has hit at least 25 homers in each of the last four years. But he’s strictly a first baseman, and the Red Sox already made a move to upgrade at the position this offseason when they traded for Willson Contreras. So, unless the Red Sox find a way to open up the designated hitter spot, Walker would seemingly be an unlikely fit for Boston.

As for the Cubs being a potential trade partner, some wondered if second baseman Nico Hoerner would be on the chopping block after they signed Bregman. But the Cubs are unlikely to trade Hoerner, according to Passan.

Hoerner, 28, is one of the more well-rounded middle infielders in baseball. While he doesn’t hit for power, Hoerner hit .297 with 29 stolen bases in 2025. He also won the Gold Glove for the second time in three years, but he’s under team control for just one more season.

Diamondbacks star second baseman Ketel Marte was also linked to the Red Sox earlier in the offseason before Arizona decided it would keep him. Passan said that the ask for Marte was “heavy,” although the Red Sox were a good fit as a trade partner due to their pitching depth.

For now, though, the Red Sox are looking at the possibility of making Marcelo Mayer at being their full-time third baseman while having Romy Gonzalez and David Hamilton split duties at second base. In fact, the New York Post‘s Jon Heyman recently reported that Boston might do that this season.