Red Sox Trade Rumors: Deal With AL East Rival For Big-Time Bat In The Works?
We are less than 12 hours from Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline and Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow remains in the hunt for a power-hitting first baseman.
A deal with the Tampa Bay Rays can be made, but the price tag might be too high.
“The Boston Red Sox are among the teams showing interest in Yandy Diaz, according to a source, and could intensify efforts in the coming hours,” BBWAA reporter Francys Romero posted Wednesday on X. “Still, the Rays are unlikely to move Diaz without a strong return, either upper-level prospects or an MLB player.”
“The Red Sox still need a first baseman, and if the Rays make Yandy Díaz available, he’d be their first choice. Díaz was made for Fenway,” the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported Tuesday.
“It’s well-known that the Red Sox covet Tampa Bay first baseman Yandy Diaz,” Masslive.com’s Sean McAdam wrote Tuesday.
“I think if the Red Sox can make a Diaz deal work, bolster the lineup now and have him as a right-handed bat to maybe platoon with (Triston) Casas next year when returns, it’s a deal they have to make,” The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey wrote Tuesday.
Diaz, 33, is hitting a healthy .282 this season with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 102 games. Two years ago, he earned his first All-Star nod and picked up his first Silver Slugger Award after winning the American League batting title by hitting a career-best .330.
The right-handed bat is making $12 million this season. Tampa Bay already picked up the $12 million club option for 2026 and added a conditional $10 million club option for 2027.
According to Spotrac, Daiz’s 2027 salary vests at $13 million with 500 plate appearances next season.
The Red Sox are in the market for a first baseman after losing Triston Casas to a season-ending knee injury in May.
The Rays signaled they are open for business Wednesday night when they traded right-hander Zack Littrell to the Cincinnati Reds in a three-team deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.