All trades are not created equal.
Ideally, two front-office executives would match up on a deal that benefits both clubs and pull the trigger. If only it were that simple.
Financial considerations. No-trade clauses. Club, player and mutual options. The list of contractual quirks extends much further than that, but you get the idea. Sometimes, a lot more goes into trade talks than what a player can provide on the field.
The Red Sox, who fell to 31-45 after Monday’s stunning ninth-inning collapse against the Rockies at Coors Field, are as aware of this as any club in the Majors. With the Trade Deadline six weeks away, Boston -- which is on pace for a 66-win season -- appears to be on a fast track to Sellerville, but some of its most tradable assets have contracts that could make things a little tricky for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.
Here’s a look at five potential Red Sox trade candidates and their contractual situations.
Sonny Gray, RHP
First and foremost, Gray will control if, when and where he is traded, because his contract includes full no-trade rights. That said, he recently told the Boston Globe that he “would be open for a conversation” if the Red Sox approach him about a potential trade, so if Boston decides to sell, it seems likely that would begin with the right-hander.
The 36-year-old is 8-1 with a 3.12 ERA in 13 starts entering Tuesday night’s start in Colorado, delivering eight quality starts while walking only 17 batters in 69 1/3 innings. He ranks in the 85th percentile in walk percentage and the 76th percentile in ground-ball percentage, though his 19.4 percent strikeout rate is his lowest since 2016. Gray missed two weeks in late April/early May with a hamstring injury, but he has shown no ill effects from the issue since his return, posting a 2.53 ERA in eight starts.
Gray is earning $31 million this season and has a $10 million buyout on a $30 million mutual option for 2027, though it should be noted that it’s been more than a decade since the last mutual option was exercised, so potential trade partners will surely view Gray as an impending free agent.
The Cardinals sent the Red Sox $20 million in the offseason trade, which presumably went toward Gray’s 2026 salary, so an acquiring team would be on the hook for some part of his $11 million salary for the remainder of the season as well as a $10 million buyout of the option, a hefty price tag for two-plus months of Gray starts.
Potential suitors: Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs
Aroldis Chapman, LHP
Father Time may catch up with Chapman someday, but that day isn’t today. The ageless wonder hasn’t slowed down at 38, posting another dominant season in 2026.
Chapman successfully converted each of his first 14 save opportunities this season, posting a 0.83 ERA in 22 appearances before suffering his first blown save since last July on Monday night in Colorado. His fastball is averaging 97.4 mph, putting him in the 90th percentile in the league, while his 0.9 fWAR ranks 12th among all Major League relievers and seventh in the American League.
The left-hander is the type of reliever contenders salivate over each July, though Chapman’s strong preference to pitch the ninth means an acquiring team would have to want him in the closer’s role rather than making him a setup man alongside an established closer.
Chapman is earning $12 million this season, and his contract includes a $13 million mutual option that will become guaranteed once he reaches the 40-inning mark this season (he was at 21 2/3 entering Tuesday).
Will another team want to roll the dice that Chapman can continue his dominance at age 39? Given that the two teams that have acquired him at the Trade Deadline during his career (2016 Cubs, 2023 Rangers) both went on to win the World Series that season, it’s a gamble worth pursuing.
Potential suitors: Dodgers, Mariners, Phillies, White Sox
Any blame that can be assigned for Boston’s disappointing season can’t be sent in Contreras’ direction. The slugger has been one of the bright lights for the Red Sox in 2026.
Contreras, who was traded from the Cardinals to the Sox this offseason, has 16 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .901 OPS in 73 games, his 2.3 fWAR matching Ceddanne Rafaela for the best among Boston’s hitters. The 34-year-old ranks in the 95th percentile in bat speed, 83rd percentile in barrel percentage and has been solid at first base, ranking in the 76th percentile in outs above average (2).
Contreras is in the fourth year of the five-year, $87.5 million contract he signed with the Cardinals in 2022, earning $18 million this season and $18.5 million in 2027. His deal also includes a $20 million club option for 2028 (with a $7.5 million buyout), and with two-plus years of club control remaining, the Red Sox seem unlikely to trade him this summer.
Of course, that will also be his call in the end -- he has full no-trade rights for the rest of this year. For next season (and 2028, if his option is exercised), he will have limited no-trade rights, allowing him to block a trade to 10 teams annually.
Potential suitors: Guardians, Mets, Rangers
Jarren Duran, OF
Boston’s crowded outfield situation gives Breslow an opportunity to deal from an area of strength, though it would be a shock if youngsters Roman Anthony, Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu --all of whom are under club control through at least 2029 -- are going anywhere.
That leaves Duran, who at 29 is the oldest of the bunch and, not coincidentally, the priciest. Duran is earning $7.7 million this season and is arbitration-eligible for two more years, offering club control for a potential trade partner.
The problem? Duran is having a pedestrian season, slashing .202/.262/.373 with 12 home runs, 37 RBIs and a 0.4 fWAR in 71 games. Two years ago he seemed like a shooting star, leading the AL in both doubles (48) and triples (14) while hitting 21 home runs with 75 RBIs, 34 stolen bases and an .834 OPS, posting a 6.8 fWAR in the process. He took a step back in 2025, but he still posted a 3.9 fWAR with 41 doubles, 13 triples and 16 homers and a .774 OPS.
What could Boston get back for the 2024 All-Star Game MVP? Would the return be worth it? The more likely scenario is for the Red Sox to hold Duran for the rest of this year, hope he has a strong second half to regain some value, then look to move him in the offseason.
Potential suitors: Guardians, Padres, Phillies
Brayan Bello, RHP
The Red Sox signed Bello to a six-year, $55 million extension before the 2024 season, a deal that looked to be quite club-friendly after he posted a 3.35 ERA over 166 2/3 innings in 2025. But after opening this season 1-4 with a 9.12 ERA in his first six starts, Bello was moved to the bullpen, then eventually to Triple-A, where he’s been for the past three weeks.
The 27-year-old has proven that he can succeed in the Majors, but given Boston’s deep pitching staff -- even if they trade Gray, the Red Sox still have Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, Jake Bennett and Kutter Crawford under control through at least 2027 -- it’s possible another team could try to pry Bello away, hoping a change of scenery benefits the right-hander.
Bello is slated to earn $8.5 million in 2027, $16 million in 2028 and $19 million in 2029, with a $21 million club option for 2030 ($1 million buyout).
Potential suitors: Brewers, Cardinals, Nationals