The Boston Red Sox have been holding back from spending big in free agency, if their hesitation to sign Pete Alonso (before he did with the Baltimore Orioles) is any indication. They have been very careful in managing their payroll, but they are expected to pull off big signings before the offseason is all said and done. With Alex Bregman opting out of the last two years of his contract, the Red Sox have a void to fill at third base.
Now, while bringing Bregman back is still an option, the Red Sox may not be content to sit around and wait for an answer from their third baseman this past season. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Boston may be setting their sights towards acquiring Ketel Marte instead to erase the uncertainty surrounding their situation at the hot corner.
“I think Boston is saying, ‘We're not gonna wait all day for Alex Bregman. Let's go get Marte,” Nightengale said, via Foul Territory TV on X (formerly Twitter).
Ketel Marte's trade market is heating up, says @BNightengale.
"I think Boston is saying, we're not gonna wait all day for Alex Bregman. Let's go get Marte." pic.twitter.com/Zo8q90beIW
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) December 10, 2025
Marte is a three-time All-Star with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he's been ridiculously good over the past three seasons. He's put up a total of 15.2 fWAR during that span, starring at the keystone thanks to his solid defense as well as top-tier power production for a middle infielder (89 home runs since 2023).
He will not come cheap in a trade, however.
Red Sox set their sights on an All-Star infielder
With Bregman still available in free agency, the Red Sox are looking for insurance options in the event that he decides to sign elsewhere. They truly desire to come out of this offseason with an All-Star infielder, and they are not limited to just Ketel Marte in this trade pursuit of theirs.
The Red Sox are also reportedly in on Corey Seager, Brendan Donovan, and Isaac Paredes, none of whom would come cheap in any trade.
