Red Sox Rumors: Boston Linked To Pair Of First Basemen On Trade Market

The Boston Red Sox may have just traded away their best hitter, Rafael Devers, to the San Francisco Giants, but that doesn’t mean they will be selling ahead of the trade deadline this year. In fact, the front office has come out and said they plan on operating as buyers in the wake of trading Devers.

There are several holes on Boston’s roster that could use filling. Both their starting rotation and bullpen could use help, and they are looking for a more permanent solution at first base in the wake of Triston Casas’ season-ending injury.

That latter spot is an area the Red Sox have reportedly been keeping tabs on from the moment Casas ruptured his patellar tendon on May 2. And after losing a key bat in Devers, it sounds like the front office is increasing their aggression on the first base trade market.

For the most part, Boston has gotten great production from Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez at first base, but that’s not going to prevent the front office from bringing in more help. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, Josh Naylor of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Ryan O’Hearn of the Baltimore Orioles are two players the team could pursue.

“One would be Josh Naylor. Again, the Diamondbacks, not expected to be a seller, but if (they are), there would be a feeding frenzy for him. Very good player, RBI guy, that’s a guy to consider,” Heyman said on “Inside Corner.”

“The other one is Ryan O’Hearn, who is now leading as the DH vote-getter in the American League now that Devers has been traded. There’s gonna be a big play for him.”

In his first season with the Diamondbacks, Naylor is hitting .303 with nine home runs and 49 RBIs. O’Hearn, meanwhile, is enjoying a breakout campaign, as he’s hitting .305 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs for the struggling Baltimore Orioles.

Of these two guys, it seems more likely that O’Hearn will get traded given Baltimore’s struggles, but for the right offer, anyone is available. For now, Gonzalez and Toro will remain the options at first base, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Red Sox try to make a move for either Naylor or O’Hearn ahead of the trade deadline.