BOSTON -- It has been a disappointing start to the season for the Boston Red Sox, who find themselves at 26-34 and in last place in the American League East entering the day on Thursday. The Boston offense has been particularly underwhelming, ranking among the league's worst in converting base runners into runs. According to multiple reports, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow is pursuing multiple avenues to improve the scuffling Red Sox offense. 

The idea that the Red Sox are seeking lineup help is not a new one, as reports have been floated on the Red Sox' exploration of the trade market for several weeks now. The latest, though, came from ESPN's Buster Olney, who appeared on the Just Baseball Show. "What I’ve heard today is, they’re aggressively looking for a right-handed hitter… It might be a case where the Red Sox are willing to take on a bad contract,” said Olney. 

The idea that the Red Sox are willing to take on money in order to improve their lineup is an encouraging one, especially after the team was unwilling to overextend itself in order to land any of the prominent free agent bats over the offseason. 

The challenge for Breslow will be finding a partner willing to sell an impact bat so early in the season. The addition of the third wild card spot in 2022 has made teams much more hesitant to make moves, believing they can sneak into the final playoff spot. That notion is especially true in a wildly mediocre American League, where six teams, including the Red Sox, are below .500 but within four games of the final Wild Card spot. That really leaves the Tigers, Angels, and Royals as the only three potential trade partners in the American League at this moment.

Former MVP Mike Trout could be a name of interest in trade discussions, though he has 10-5 rights, meaning he would have to approve any potential deal. With the Red Sox well under .500, it would be a tough sell for a future Hall of Famer who has spent the entirety of his career in Los Angeles. 

Tigers shortstop Javier Baez could also find himself on the trade block as Detroit has floundered since the injury to reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. The 33-year-old Baez had a bit of a career resurgence in 2025, but has spent much of the 2026 season on the injured list, making him an unlikely target for Boston. 

Over on the National League side, Breslow could find himself a trade partner in two fellow underperforming teams with a litany of bloated contracts in the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. 

Once again, the Mets have found themselves among the most disappointing teams in baseball. They enter play on Thursday at six games out of the wild card at 27-35. Both third baseman Bo Bichette and second baseman Marcus Semien could find themselves on the move if New York doesn't turn things around. Semien, who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Texas Rangers, has struggled in each of his last three seasons, hitting just .232 with an OPS+ of 96, four percent worse than the league average. The 35-year-old has two years and $46 million remaining on his contract after the 2026 season.  

After Alex Bregman's departure in free agency, Boston kicked the tires on signing Bichette before he eventually landed a one-year, $52 million deal with New York. The 28-year-old has struggled in his first season in Queens, hitting just .213 in 61 games while playing third base. Bichette's ability to play all around the infield, as well as his one-year deal, could make him an attractive stopgap option for Boston. 

San Francisco finds themselves well out of the playoff picture at a National League- worst 23-38, and they also have several bloated contracts, including former Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers. While there is zero chance Breslow would reverse course and reacquire Devers, both third baseman Matt Chapman and shortstop Willy Adames could be of value to the Red Sox. 

Acquiring Chapman would give Breslow a chance to right his mistake of the offseason - allowing Bregman to walk in free agency. The 33-year-old third baseman has won five Gold Glove awards at the position in his career and would help to fill the leadership void left behind by Bregman. Chapman has four years and $100 million remaining on his deal with San Francisco. 

Since signing a seven-year, $182-million deal with San Francisco ahead of the 2025 season, Adames has struggled to adapt to one of the most pitcher-friendly environments in baseball. The 30-year-old has hit just .231 with a .735 OPS in 220 games with the Giants. 

There is one NL team that is firmly in the mix that could look to get off a larger contract: the Atlanta Braves. 

Atlanta is in desperate need of outfield help, making them a logical trade partner for Boston. Could Atlanta look to move former All-Star third baseman Austin Riley in order to get a running mate for Ronald Acuna Jr.? Since back-to-back All-Star campaigns in 2022-23, Riley has been a slightly above league-average hitter, hitting .247 with 43 home runs and 142 RBI. He is under contract at a fairly affordable $22 million through the 2032 season. 

It's a difficult decision for Breslow to make; these are all underperforming players who, for the most part, are on bloated long-term contracts. Ultimately, the decision may come down to how secure Breslow feels in his job security and his faith in a makeshift coaching staff to return the former All-Stars to form. A move made in a desperate effort to save his job could be one that would cost the Red Sox for years to come. But it could also represent a chance to right the mistakes of the offseason and turn the Red Sox into the World Series contender they were expected to be entering the 2026 season.

A trade that added a significant amount of money to the Red Sox payroll would also send the message to a disgruntled fan base that owner John Henry is still willing to invest the resources necessary to compete in today's league. 

Whether a deal gets done remains to be seen, but it's at least encouraging for Red Sox fans to see Breslow working the phones to improve the team. 

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