Last week, I wrote and encouraged the Red Sox to totally tear down the roster with a 2014-style fire sale at the trade deadline on Aug. 3rd.
I still stand by that for the large portion of sellable pieces. The Willson Contreras decision in that conversation became a complicated one for me and one that i’ve spent the last week thinking about rather often. In that period of reflection, the answer to what to do with Boston’s first baseman became pretty obvious to me.
The Red Sox cannot trade Willson Contreras.
The veteran is a rare sign of life in an otherwise dismal season that will cause several people their jobs by year’s end. Contreras is a borderline All-Star in 2026. If he doesn’t make the team, it won’t be due to any fault of his own, but more so due to the ridiculous surges of others around the American League.
He’s enjoying his best offensive season at age 34 and clearly has plenty left in the tank after shifting away from catching during his tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals. Contreras would be a hot commodity given the usual need for right-handed power every summer. That’s intriguing for a should-be seller like the Red Sox, though there’s a different story to tell that’s even more important about the construction of the roster moving forward.
When you have a chance to keep a hole filled for a while, take it. How long have the Red Sox been trying to find a staple at second base since the end of Dustin Pedroia’s days as an everyday player? (Newsflash: They still are).
Triston Casas still holds potential in the wild world of Red Sox Twitter/X, but the reality is that he’s only played one full season (he did receive ROTY votes) since his 2022 call-up. It would be way easier to navigate the position if Casas could really be healthy and contribute. Ultimately, Boston would be viciously irresponsible to build the lineup in years to come with the expectation of Casas being a regular.
Contreras is under team control through 2027 with a club option for 2028. His no-trade clause also carried over from the Cardinals, limiting Boston’s best shot at another quality return at the deadline.
The Red Sox should probably listen for a potential undeniable offer at the deadline, but for a team that lacks real hitters the way they do, can they totally afford to lose the only one they have?
