Next Blockbuster? Four Trade Candidates Red Sox Still Can Target

Does Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow have another blockbuster trick up his sleeve this offseason?

Boston already swapped four prospects with the Chicago White Sox to acquire pitcher Garrett Crochet, but the team remains active. Whether it’d be for more pitching or a right-handed bat, the Red Sox could continue exploring avenues to bolster their roster by making a call or two within the next few weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Perhaps it’ll get the wheels in motion toward another major addition.

Here are four targets for Breslow and the front office to consider:

1. Nolan Arenado
It seems like Arenado has reached the end of his trial with the St. Louis Cardinals, which could work to Boston’s benefit.

Arenado is among the most elite third basemen in all of baseball, collecting eight All-Star appearances, 10 Gold Glove Awards, five Silver Slugger Awards and leading the National League in home runs three times. The 33-year-old fills the right-handed bat need, fresh off a season in which Arenado batted .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs in 152 games. Sure, it was a down year, but the 12-year veteran is plenty proven.

The Houston Astros made a run at Arenado, which was met by a rejection

2. Luis Castillo
The Seattle Mariners are all ears when it comes to Castillo and the nearly $70 million remaining on the right-hander’s contract.

Boston made its interest known with rumors of chit-chatter going on between both front offices centering around Castillo’s trade availability. Breslow addressed the Red Sox’s need for pitching depth by adding Crochet along with Walker Buehler and Patrick Sandoval, prompting the team to consider rolling with a six-man rotation next season.

Castillo, obviously, further pushes that discussion in Boston, however, the 32-year-old also could strengthen the team’s bullpen. Pitchers Garrett Whitlock and Kutter Crawford could assume reliever roles while Castillo, a three-time All-Star, joins Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, Crochet and Buehler in the rotation. Not a bad situation to be in.

3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Red Sox could get an early start and cut the rest of baseball in line for next offseason’s must-have free agent.

Guerrero, 25, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason following six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. With a right-handed power swing tailor-made for ballparks like Fenway Park, Guerrero could create the next great Dominican-born tandem alongside Rafael Devers, giving Boston memories of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, helping return the franchise to its winning ways, too.

The price could be steep, but Breslow’s demonstrated a willingness to go the extra mile.

Guerrero batted .323 with 30 home runs, a career-best 44 doubles and 96 RBIs last season for the Blue Jays, logging 159 appearances.

4. Carlos Correa
Correa, a World Series champion, Rookie of the Year (2015) and Gold Glove Award recipient returned to his All-Star ways last season.

The 30-year-old batted .310 with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs, while also recording a .983 fielding percentage in 86 games for the Minnesota Twins. Correa could replace Boston’s current pursuit of free agent Alex Bregman, reuniting the ex-Astros shortstop with fellow Puerto Rican native and Red Sox skipper Alex Cora — Correa and Cora shared the dugout during Houston’s 2017 Fall Classic victory.

Correa has four years and $133.3 million remaining on his contract with the Twins.