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Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals
The Boston Red Sox continue to stay busy during the offseason. After making 10 trades to bolster their roster for the 2026 season, they’re still being linked to possibly more trades. Despite not making any free agent signings, they are interested in a couple of position players via free agency this winter. However, nothing seems certain about how close any of these free agent signings or trades could be. That being said, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports that the chief of baseball operations, Craig Breslow, is not afraid to make moves.
Breslow has already made two trades with the St. Louis Cardinals, and it seems he isn’t afraid to make others. There are some other teams he could be talking to regarding trades, while seeking a second bat in free agency. Who are on Breslow’s 2026 shortlist?
Red Sox Eyeing Brendan Donovan
GettyBrendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals
One player that stands out is the Cardinals’ second baseman, Brendan Donovan. Donovan makes sense for Breslow and the Red Sox for multiple reasons. The first being is that he is a second baseman, a position they really need to address for 2026. Secondly, he’s 28 years old and is set to make $5.75 million in 2026, and will be a free agent heading into the 2028 season. His age-30 season in 2027 will be his third-year of arbitration. Thirdly, his batting metrics would play well at Fenway as a left-handed bat.
In 2025, Donovan had a .287 average, with 132 hits, 32 doubles, 10 home runs, 50 RBIs, three stolen bases, and 42 walks. He finished with a slashline of .353/.442/.775, along with an OPS+ of 118, and a 2.7 wins above replacement (WAR). Donovan managed all of that while playing in 118 games.
While he won’t be crushing home runs, he is someone who can get on base and can hit for average. Plus, his defensive skills are above average compared to what the Red Sox have had recently. When looking at his Baseball Savant page, it’s clear why he’s on Breslow’s shortlist as a second bat. Donovan’s xwOBA and xBA are in the 78th and 93rd percentiles, while his xSLG is in the 68th percentile.
He won’t be having high exit velos (46th percentile), his squared-up percentage is in the 96th percentile, and his LA sweet spot is at the 94th. Furthermore, he is not someone who strikes out a lot. Donovan comes in at the 69th percentile in chase%, 95th in whiff%, and 92nd in K%. He is not a hard hitter, but he can square up on a baseball to get on base, draw walks, and not get struck out. He struck out at a 13% clip after only having 67 in 2025. If there is one player via trade that Breslow might consider, who doesn’t cost a ton in a trade and has a reasonable annual average value (AAV), it is Donovan.
Other Possible Targets
GettyBoston Red Sox’s Alex Bregman
Outside of Donovan, the other players linked to the Red Sox are Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Isaac Paredes of the Houston Astros.
Out of those, most of the noise has been around Bregman and Bichette. It’s been mentioned a ton recently by Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic that the Red Sox have been in communication with Bregman’s camp. Breslow at the Winter Meetings mentioned that, “He’s still out there and he’s a guy that can fit our roster particularly well”. The only problem is that as the days continue to roll on, the feeling is that Bregman might not return to Boston. That said, Bichette has been mentioned as well; however, the Toronto Blue Jays have expressed interest in bringing him back and are not afraid to spend money.
When it comes down to it, will the Red Sox open the pocketbook to re-sign Bregman or sign Bichette? One will play third base, while the other will become their everyday second baseman. If neither is signed, could Marcelo Mayer play third base for the Red Sox, and could another trade be in the works? The ask for Marte from the D-Backs is rumored to be too high for Breslow, and there hasn’t been any concrete indication on the ask for Parades from the Astros.
There is a long way to go until the start of Spring Training, and the Red Sox are creeping closer to having to make moves sooner rather than later. It’ll be interesting to see what they do regarding their second off-season bat addition, while addressing their infield needs. Only time will tell what direction the Red Sox will be going as we get closer to the 2026 season. Time is ticking in Boston.
Zach Martin Zach Martin is a sports journalist covering the MLB, mainly the Boston Red Sox, for Heavy.com. He has over four years of journalism experience, and five years of podcasting experience. He’s a credentialed Carolina Hurricanes beat writer at The Hockey Writers. Zach’s previously covered the Cleveland Guardians at Covering the Corner, along with the Guardians and the Cincinnati Reds at Fansided. Zach is originally from Ravenna, Ohio, and is now based in Lexington, SC. More about Zach Martin
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