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The Boston Red Sox are reportedly the frontrunners to acquire Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Ketel Marte in a trade this winter, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
But WEEI’s Rob Bradford added Tuesday that a source said there’s “nothing close” when it comes to a potential Marte trade for the Red Sox.
In a free agency class that is a bit top-heavy, Marte would be a nice pickup for any contender depending on the asking price. (The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal believes the Diamondbacks “almost certainly will seek young pitching.”)
Marte, 32, hit .283 this past season with 28 homers, 72 RBI, 87 runs and a .893 OPS. It was his third straight year with at least 25 homers and an OPS above .840.
The three-time All-Star is also a switch-hitter and entering the first year of a six-year, $116.5 million extension that is a pretty strong value given his production in recent years. If he continues to produce at a high level, that contract should age nicely.
The Red Sox have never quite replaced Dustin Pedroia, going through a number of options in the intervening years, and could use another source of pop in the middle of the lineup. Questions about whether Kristian Campbell is truly the second baseman of the future persist.
They could also offset the loss of potential prospects in a Marte trade by dealing Jarren Duran, given the presence of young outfielders Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafalea and Wilyer Abreu.
It’s easy to see why the Red Sox would have interest in Marte, in other words, even if a potential deal apparently isn’t close at the moment. Don’t be surprised if plenty of rumors continue to connect Boston with a Marte trade.