The Boston Red Sox have been wheeling and dealing this week, but the roster is far from a finished product.
After losing Alex Bregman in free agency last month, the Red Sox have had to scramble to assemble a decent infield. They’ve reportedly agreed to a major league deal with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and a minor-league deal with Brendan Rodgers this week, but no one around Boston is satisfied with that haul.
Fortunately for those anxious about more additions, it seems that for all intents and purposes, the Red Sox are still on the hunt for more talent. On Thursday, one insider updated where trade talks stand with one of the most frequently-rumored Boston partners.
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Oct 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) is congratulated by manager Craig Counsell (11) after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the eighth inning of game one of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Chicago Cubs have continued to entertain trade talks for second baseman Nico Hoerner and utility player Matt Shaw, both of whom could theoretically be availabel thanks to Bregman’s arrival in Chicago, and both of whom would fit the Red Sox very well.
“They’ve been listening in on star second baseman Nico Hoerner, who’s entering his walk year, and second-year infielder Matt Shaw, with Boston a possible fit since they are trying to improve their infield and have an extra outfielder,” Heyman wrote of the Cubs.
Hoerner has one year to go on his contract before free agency, so it would be a major risk to trade a significant haul for him. That risk might be worthwhile, however, if he simply repeats his six-WAR, Gold Glove season from 2025. Plus, there’s nothing stopping the Red Sox from extending or re-signing him.
Shaw is the less proven commodity, but he’s younger, comes with five years of control, and his offensive ceiling is probably higher. For the most part, the bar seems to be at about the same level when it comes to the package that would be required.
As an added wrinkle, Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe reported Friday that the Red Sox were looking to make a “prospect-based trade,” which would be much tougher to swing than something involving pitchers like Connelly Early and Payton Tolle, who have major league experience, assuming they are excluded from prospect status.
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