The Boston Red Sox finally added an infielder on Wednesday, but didn’t necessarily complete their roster the way folks anticipated.
After agreeing to a one-year, $6 million deal for utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa, the Red Sox are at a crossroads. So far, the consensus among insiders is that they aren’t finished adding to the roster, but that’s no guarantee more moves are coming.
Now that Kiner-Falefa ostensibly gives the Red Sox insurance options at every infield position, the Red Sox have three potential paths between now and opening day. Let’s lay each of them out and discuss their merits.
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Option 1: Swing big for a trade now 
Jul 4, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
In terms of public perception, the Red Sox picking up someone like Nico Hoerner, Matt Shaw, or Isaac Paredes would still do wonders. Those were the types of pivot moves fans were begging for after Alex Bregman departed in free agency.
Unfortunately for those fans, it’s become clear that the price tags on all of the players listed above would be exorbitant. The Red Sox would have to part ways with someone they really like for this season, and it would be hard to “win” any of those trades when the other teams involved don’t have an incentive to move those players unless it helps them significantly.
Option 2: Sign a complementary right-handed bat 
Sep 21, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Randal Grichuk (15) hits a one run single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Think Rob Refsnyder, who the Red Sox lost to the Seattle Mariners in free agency. Many of the options are off the board, with Miguel Andujar becoming the latest platoon bat to find a new home on Wednesday night, but the Red Sox could still get Randal Grichuk, who was a frequently discussed potential target last winter.
Offense is offense, so it would be understandable for the Red Sox to grab a bat who can help against lefties and figure the rest out later. But with Romy Gonzalez already on the roster, having two pure platoon players might jam up the bench, especially whenever Triston Casas is healthy.
Option 3: Do nothing until the trade deadline
We can already hear the collective groans from the fan base on this one. Particularly because last season, when Boston had a clear need for a starting pitcher, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow swung and missed on Joe Ryan, then made a panic move for Dustin May.
However, since the options right now are so limited and costly, it might make some sense to try and stay in the division title race with the roster the Red Sox have now, then see how many new trade candidates become available. Teams falling out of the race will have incentive to trade players they’d never dream of moving in February.
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