How Red Sox Could Use Familiar Trade Partner To Solve Biggest Need

The Boston Red Sox need to be creative to make a splash and get the impact right-handed bat they’ve long desired this offseason.

The steam around Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado doesn’t appear to be what it once was at other points of the offseason. That doesn’t mean Boston can just punt and expect the world out of in-house options along with the emergence of excellent prospect Kristian Campbell.

The Red Sox should still turn over every stone they can to find that middle-of-the-order right-handed bat they need before the start of spring training in less than a month. In order to do that, they may not need to look as hard as it seems.

Boston already struck a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox this winter when they sent four notable prospects away for frontline starter Garrett Crochet. Why can’t the Red Sox reconvene with their apparent favorite trade partners to fill another need in a mutually beneficial deal with a rebuilding club?

The White Sox previously engaged with trade talks involving their slugging outfielder Luis Robert Jr. earlier this winter with the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported. Boston, even after the first deal, still has a surplus of young MLB contributors and farm system depth to work with as assets.

This proposal would also supply a much better positional fit compared to the moves that would come with Arenado or Bregman joining the ballclub. Robert can mix in at designated hitter or play the outfield alongside Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and eventually Roman Anthony. The Red Sox get an easier fix to their defensive configuration and would land some serious pop from the right side.

Injuries have limited Robert to 467 games in five MLB seasons, though he mashed 88 home runs in that span. He tallied 38 home runs, an All-Star appearance and a top-12 American League MVP finish in a healthy 2023 season.

That’s a bat that should have the Red Sox interested with club options to keep him under control through the 2027 season. Boston desperately needs that bat and Robert can deliver it.