Ken Rosenthal notes stalled talks, but Boston still viewed as logical trade fit.
The Isaac Paredes conversation never really went away.
It just cooled.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Astros have discussed trading Paredes for a left-handed hitting outfielder and have engaged most thoroughly with the Red Sox.
Talks have stalled, and the clubs are not currently in contact - but the framework is obvious, and the fit remains.
For Boston, that’s the key.
Houston has an infield surplus it needs to solve. Boston has an outfield surplus it can leverage. Those realities haven’t changed, even after the Red Sox acquired Caleb Durbin and continued reshuffling their roster this winter.
From a Red Sox perspective, this is less about Houston’s problem and more about Boston’s opportunity.
Paredes is 27, under control, coming off a season interrupted by a hamstring injury but still regarded as one of the better right-handed bats on the market. He walks. He controls the zone. He pulls the ball in the air. At Fenway Park, that profile plays.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, are still balancing an outfield mix that includes Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony and Masataka Yoshida. Abreu is not coming back to Houston, per Rosenthal’s report. That much is clear. But a deal centered around Duran? That remains plausible.
And if you zoom out, it makes structural sense.
Jul 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) laughs with teammates before playing against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park. (Thomas Shea/Imagn Images)Adding Paredes would give Boston a more stable answer at third base while allowing Durbin to settle in at second. It would also remove the need to rush Marcelo Mayer into an everyday infield role if the organization prefers to let his development breathe. Mayer can still factor in - but he wouldn’t have to be the hinge point.
There’s also a roster domino effect that works in Boston’s favor. Moving Duran would clear designated hitter at-bats for Yoshida and, eventually, Triston Casas when he returns from his knee injury. That’s not a small consideration. The Red Sox have been juggling DH and corner-outfield reps for two offseasons now.
This isn’t about chasing a splash for splash’s sake. It’s about alignment.
Houston’s leverage is weakened by its logjam. Everyone in the industry knows the Astros can’t comfortably fit Paredes, Christian Walker, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Yordan Alvarez into the same lineup every day without awkward defensive gymnastics. That’s their pressure point.
Boston doesn’t have to force anything.
The Red Sox improved their negotiating position by acquiring Durbin. They can play out the spring. They can evaluate Mayer. They can lean into internal depth. But the fit with Paredes remains clean, logical and baseball-driven.
If Dana Brown follows through on his public “we’re not done yet” stance, the Red Sox will be one of the first calls.
They already were.
And even with talks paused, the roster math still points back to Boston.
Jun 26, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) crosses home plate to score a run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning at Daikin Park. (Erik Williams/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.