The Red Sox are still looking to add an infield hitter with some power.
Alex Bregman is one of the top free agents remaining this offseason. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
December 27, 2025 | 4:20 PM
2 minutes to read
The Red Sox landed a right-handed power hitter earlier this week when they traded for Willson Contreras from the Cardinals, but they’re still seeking some right-handed hitting help.
Third baseman Alex Bregman, shortstop Bo Bichette, second baseman Ketel Marte, and third baseman Isaac Paredes remain the Red Sox’ “primary targets,” The Boston Globe‘s Alex Speier reported Saturday. Bregman and Bichette are both free agents, while Marte (Diamondbacks) and Paredes (Astros) have been rumored to be on the trade market for much of the offseason.
Those four players have been linked to the Red Sox for weeks as they seek more right-handed hitting help. However, Paredes’s name has been a more recent addition to that list. The Astros’ 26-year-old All-Star hit .254 with 20 homers, 53 RBIs, and a .809 OPS in 102 games last season.
The Astros acquired Paredes last offseason, getting him as the centerpiece in the deal where they traded Kyle Tucker to the Cubs. Paredes has two years left of team control and has displayed good power (averaging 26 homers over 162 games) since his time with the Rays in 2022, so trading for him would likely come with a decent cost.
Bregman, of course, played for the Red Sox in 2025, joining Boston after signing a three-year, $120 million contract in February. He opted out of the final two years of his contract after arguably being the Red Sox’ top hitter last season. The Red Sox have some competition for Bregman, though, with the Cubs, Diamondbacks, and Blue Jays being among the teams recently linked to him.
Bregman is reportedly seeking a six-year deal this offseason that would presumably take him through nearly the remainder of his playing career. As he turns 32 in March, Bregman hit .273 with a .821 OPS, 18 homers, and 62 RBIs in 114 games last season. However, he hit .187 in the final 27 games of the regular season, adding two home runs with a .581 OPS in that stretch after battling a quad injury earlier in the season.
Bichette, meanwhile, is arguably the top free-agent hitter remaining after Bregman. The two-time All-Star, who’ll turn 28 in March, hit .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs, and a .840 OPS this past season, helping him earn MVP votes for the fourth time in the last five years. He’s hit .292 since the start of the 2021 season, but has been one of the worst fielding shortstops in the league, so he might have to move to second base if he joins the Red Sox.
Finally, Marte, 32, has been one of the best second basemen in baseball over the last few years. The switch-hitter logged a .283 batting average with 28 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .893 OPS in 126 games in 2025, earning an All-Star nod for the second straight season.
Like Paredes, trading for Marte likely wouldn’t come cheap. The Diamondbacks are reportedly seeking young pitching in any trade involving Marte, who has five seasons remaining on a six-year, $116.5 million deal.
Get the latest Boston sports news
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.