The Boston Red Sox are expected to be among baseball's most active teams as the offseason officially begins on Thursday. Because the injured list doesn't exist in the offseason, Boston must remove four players from its 40-man roster by Monday, Nov. 2, to make room for seven players who ended the season on the 60-day IL. The Red Sox have already begun trimming the 40-man roster, making the offseason's first official trade by sending outfielder Nate Eaton to the Athletics in exchange for pitching prospect Jareth Rayo. 

The 29-year-old outfielder signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox ahead of the 2025 season after being released by the Kansas City Royals. Eaton spent much of the 2025 season in Triple-A; however, he became a crucial utility piece down the stretch, appearing in two playoff games in the 2025 Wild Card round. 

In 41 games with the Red Sox in 2025, Eaton hit .296/.348/.383/.731. Despite solid results with Boston in 2025, a crowded outfield picture again kept Eaton in Triple-A for most of the 2026 season. In 24 regular-season games with Boston, the 29-year-old hit just .160/.300/.260/.560 with one home run and two doubles, driving in six runs. Eaton started in left field in Game 2 of the Wild Card series in New York, going 1-for-2 with a double.

In 84 games with Worcester, Eaton hit .253/.338/.410/.748, with 9 home runs, 16 doubles, and three triples; driving in 44 runs; and stealing 18 bases. Eaton, who is out of minor league options, seemed like a likely candidate to be designated for assignment or non-tendered amid the Boston roster crunch, so Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow did well to at least get something in return. 

Bob Nightengale of USA Today was first to report that Eaton was being traded to the Athletics. 

A 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher, Rayo signed with the Athletics for $70,000 as part of the 2024-25 international amateur signing period. The 18-year-old spent the 2026 season pitching in the Dominican Summer League. In 36 innings in the DSL, Rayo posted a 5.50 ERA over 11 appearances, striking out nine batters per nine innings, and walking five batters per nine innings.

Rayo will now join the Red Sox organization, where he is likely to make his debut in the United States in 2026, in the Florida Complex League. 

With Eaton officially off the 40-man roster, the Red Sox must remove three players before the Nov. 2 deadline, so expect more trades like this one in the coming days.