So far, Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown has made one rather big trade this offseason. He sent two of his top prospects to the Pittsburgh Pirates for right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows as part of a three-team trade.
Burrows is a middle-to-end-of-the-rotation starter, which really won’t make up for the potential loss of Framber Valdez in free agency. One name that has been circulating in trade rumors this offseason is Astros infielder Isaac Paredes.
One team that has been linked to him is the Boston Red Sox, and on Saturday, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe (subscription required) reported that Paredes is still on Boston’s radar.
Red Sox Reportedly Interested in Astros Infielder Isaac Paredes
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The Red Sox are in a holding pattern currently when it comes to former Houston third baseman Alex Bregman. He opted out of his contract after just one season in Boston and remains on several teams’ radar this offseason, including the Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Toronto Blue Jays.
A return to the Red Sox is very much still in play, but chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is clearly looking for a backup plan should Bregman leave. That’s where Paredes comes into play.
“With Contreras in the fold, the Sox continue to pursue another infield bat. According to major league sources, the team’s primary targets remain fairly consistent: Free agent infielders Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette, as well as trade candidates Ketel Marte (Diamondbacks) and Isaac Paredes (Astros),” Speier wrote.
Boston could be a good trade partner for the Astros and Dana Brown. The Red Sox have some young pitchers that Houston could look to target. Payton Tolle and Connolly Early could be had as both pitched well late in the season for manager Alex Cora.
However, two trades earlier this offseason acquired Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals and Johan Oviedo from the Pittsburgh Pirates. They could end up blocking both pitchers next season and beyond.
Early is the most major-league-ready and would slot into the Astros’ rotation as soon as 2026. He was forced to start Boston’s deciding Game 3 of last season’s American League Wild Card game at Yankee Stadium with an injury to Lucas Giolito. Both Early and Tolle are seen as future rotation pieces.
Paredes would be a backup solution for Breslow, and the Red Sox should Bregman sign somewhere else. He is coming off a 2025 season that saw him make the All-Star team and slash .254/.352/.458 with 20 home runs and 53 RBIs.
Dana Brown, listening on Paredes with Breslow, could end up landing Houston a promising young starting pitcher, something they would welcome.
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