Red Sox suddenly surfacing as serious frontrunners in Ketel Marte trade talks
On Tuesday, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand was asked on MLB Network which team he felt was the leader in the clubhouse on the Ketel Marte trademarket:
“I think the Red Sox are the No. 1 team in on him. They've been looking for an answer at second base for years, right? Probably since Dustin Pedroia retired. They thought Kristian Campbell might be the answer, now they're not so sure.
“He has a reasonable contract, and I think what you just brought up with the 10-5 [rights] is the reason everybody says why would Arizona trade him. The 10-5 coming up is the reason that you have to explore it now, because once he becomes a 10-5 guy, that no trade clause expands from five teams to 29 teams, and then all of the sudden, he's in control of where you go.
“The Red Sox have young pitching. That's what Arizona is likely looking for in a return. We've seen them strike out on some higher priced pitching contracts in the past. And right now, I think the idea of bringing in young, controllable arms is one of the few things you would do if you were going to trade a guy like Ketel Marte, so the Red Sox seem to match up. They have a need for him. He's not on [his] no trade list. And while they have an opportunity to do this before the 10-5, I think Mike Hazen is going to look into all of the options out there.”
For the uninitiated, Feinsand referenced “10-and-5 rights” in a few different spots in that report, which means a player has 10 years of Major League service time, with the last five spent on the same team. That automatically earns them "10-5 rights,” which function as a full no-trade clause, allowing them to veto any trade without it being written in their contract. It's a powerful perk that protects veteran players, letting them stay with a team they like or block a move to an undesirable situation - a rule established after Curt Flood's trade dispute from 1969.
History lesson aside, this report has to be music to the ears of Red Sox Nation, who likely saw a competing report from earlier in the day on Tuesday from WEEI’s Rob Bradford saying the Red Sox and Diamondbacks were not close on a trade despite the continued rumors between the two sides.
There will certainly be a subsection of fans that will be disappointed to see the likes of Payton Tolle or Connolly Early moved for someone like Marte. But when you whiff on both Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber in free agency, you have to take this type of swing to keep pace with the rest of the AL East.
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As of Friday, I had Marte ranked third on my list of top eight offensive offseason targets for Boston. And at 32 years old, I believe there’s plenty of good baseball left in him, where trading Early-or-Tolle’s upside is worth the return of Marte in the heart of his prime years.
Marte slashed .283/.376/.517 with an .893 OPS, 28 home runs, 72 RBI, and 87 runs scored over 126 games, earning a Silver Slugger and his third career All-Star nod thanks to his all-around bat.
What makes Marte such a coveted target for Boston is the complete offense he brings.
He combines a high average (.283), elite on-base skills (.376 - best among MLB second basemen), and power rarely seen at his position. That unique combination is rare for MLB clubs. He fits comfortably into lineup spots 2 through 6 and can cover center in a pinch, providing the Sox with versatility beyond a typical free agent signing.
In a division where pitching is tough and extra baserunners are at a premium, Marte’s well-rounded game - especially his ability to sustain both average and power - would help Boston bridge the gap left by the Schwarber/Alonso misses and provide a crucial offensive ripple effect throughout the order.
There’s a reason why this guy is high on everyone’s list.
In addition to the production, Marte has one of the more affordable contracts for a player of his caliber in all of baseball - $102.5 million guaranteed over the next six years, including a player option for 2031, with $46 million deferred. For an organization that has reportedly given itself self-imposed spending limits this offseason, those types of numbers are music to Fenway Sports Group’s ears.
Who wins the source-off between Feinsand and Bradfo? Only time will tell.
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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.