The Boston Red Sox entered Friday night's series opener in Atlanta with an 18-25 record, sitting in last place in the American League East. After a rough start to the season, their pitching staff has become one of the best in baseball, but their anemic offense has been unable to produce enough to turn those strong pitching performances into wins. Could Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow swing an early trade to provide a much-needed boost to the lineup? 

Since the inception of the third wild card spot in 2022, the field of playoff contenders is wider than ever, with teams not willing to admit they are out of contention, especially just 43 games into the season. 

That rings even more true in this year's American League, where the Red Sox, despite being seven games under .500 and over 10 games back of first place in their own division, find themselves just three games behind the Seattle Mariners for that final Wild Card position. 

“We obviously, to this point, have not had the start record-wise that we want,” Boston interim manager Chad Tracy told Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, "There are other years where you look and say, ‘Man, that dug us in a really, really big hole.’ It certainly has in the division. But this year, for whatever reason, you look and say, ‘This hasn’t dug us in a massive hole as far as the playoffs are considered," he continued. 

According to Speier, a trade of any significance at this point in the season is unlikely, though there has been "more industry-wide chatter than is typical at this stage of the season." 

After entering the 2025 season with one of the best farm systems in baseball, the Red Sox system took a major hit thanks to both graduations of their top prospects and trades. While a deal that moves one of the few remaining top prospects could still be possible, those types of moves would presumably come closer to the trade deadline on Aug. 3. 

Any move Breslow could look to make now would have to be a 'baseball trade,' swapping major league assets for one another. The easiest path to that kind of deal is a simple one: Finally figure out your outfield logjam, adding a big bat to the middle of your lineup in the process. 

Jarren Duran has been, and remains, the most likely trade candidate of the Boston outfielders. However, after placing a hefty price tag on him in the offseason, his slow start at the plate has not done much to warrant the massive cost. Could the Red Sox look to offload Duran in a change-of-scenery deal? And who would be looking to acquire the much-maligned outfielder? 

One team that could possibly fit the mold for a potential deal is your opponent this weekend, the Atlanta Braves, who, thanks to a spell of injuries, find themselves in desperate need of an outfielder. Would the Braves be willing to entertain a deal for a fellow former All-Star, who has been unable to replicate their success from two years ago in third baseman Austin Riley?

Since back-to-back All-Star campaigns in 2023-24, Riley has been a slightly above league-average hitter, including a .218 batting average in 44 games played in 2026.  He is under contract at a fairly affordable $22 million through the 2032 season, so his availability in any trade would depend on how concerned the Atlanta front office is about the slow start. 

Another potential fit could be with a familiar trade partner in the San Francisco Giants, who could be in sell mode after their slow start to the season. While a trade that sees the return of Rafael Devers to Boston is nothing more than a pipe dream, could San Francisco look to offload the contract of underperforming shortstop Willy Adames? Since signing a seven-year, $182 million deal with the Giants ahead of the 2025 season, Adames has hit just .224, with 33 home runs while playing in one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in baseball. 

The decision to take on a "big" contract, of either Adames, Riley, or any other potential trade target, would be a big sign from Breslow and the faith that he has in the Red Sox' hitting system to get these struggling veterans back on track to provide a spark. And, more importantly, a strong indication from John Henry that ownership is willing to invest more in improving the 2026 roster. 

While a deal seems unlikely for now, Breslow will have to be aggressive in making a move to bolster a lineup that ranks near the bottom of baseball in nearly every offensive category. 

The Red Sox will take on the Braves in game one of a three-game set at Truist Park on Friday night. Connelly Early gets the start for Boston opposite Spencer Strider for Atlanta. First pitch set for 7:15 p.m. ET. 

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