The Red Sox have already made some major moves this offseason, but adding a star infielder to their roster would go a long way toward their hopes of contending in 2026.
Boston has added to its rotation with free agent Ranger Suárez and trade acquisitions Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo, as well as making a trade for first baseman Willson Contreras. But with Alex Bregman moving on to the Cubs, Bo Bichette signing with the Mets and D-backs second baseman Ketel Marte off the trade market, the Red Sox’s options for another infield splash are somewhat limited.
That said, there are still several players who could fit Boston’s infield. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported Thursday in the New York Post (subscription required) that the Red Sox have discussed trades for three big-name infielders: the Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan, the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner and the Astros’ Isaac Paredes. Among free-agent options, third baseman Eugenio Suárez is the clear-cut top available choice.
Which of those four players would be the best fit for the Red Sox? Here’s a breakdown of each infield option with a pro and con for each player.
Brendan Donovan
Pro: Versatile player with multiple years of control
Donovan can play just about anywhere on the diamond: He has made double-digit appearances at every position except pitcher, catcher and center field. In 2022, his versatility even earned him the first-ever National League Gold Glove for utility players. Donovan played primarily second base for the Cardinals in 2025, though, and he earned his first All-Star nod after batting .297 with a .797 OPS in the season’s first half. The 29-year-old won’t be a free agent until after the 2027 season, which would give the Red Sox two valuable years of control if they (once again) strike a deal with the Cardinals.
Con: Not much speed or power
For all of Donovan’s offensive strengths -- including contact skills and a low strikeout rate -- the left-handed hitter doesn’t rack up huge totals in the home run or stolen base categories. Donovan hit just 10 homers in 2025, and his career high is 14 in 2024; he owns just 15 career steals in 27 attempts (55.6% success rate) in four MLB seasons. The Red Sox, whose 139 team steals in 2025 ranked sixth in the Majors, don’t necessarily need speed from Donovan, but they won’t be getting too many homers from him, either.
Nico Hoerner
Pro: Elite contact hitter and defender
By Wins Above Replacement, Hoerner is the best player among the four mentioned here. He has averaged 4.9 Baseball-Reference WAR across the past four seasons, including 6.2 bWAR, down-ballot MVP Award votes and his second career Gold Glove Award in 2025. Hoerner, who rarely swings and misses or strikes out, batted .297 and stole 29 bases, his fourth straight season with at least 20 swipes. His +14 Outs Above Average led all MLB second basemen, too. At just 28 years old, Hoerner won’t come cheap if the Cubs decide to trade him, but there’s no better infielder on the market.
Con: Only one year of control
The only thing that might drive down Hoerner’s trade value -- and his potential value to the Red Sox -- is the fact that he’ll be a free agent after 2026. Before hitting the open market, the second baseman will make $12 million in the final season of a three-year extension he signed prior to 2023. The possibility of inking Hoerner to a long-term deal is an attractive one for the Red Sox, but there’s no certainty Hoerner would stick around past the coming season. That (and his likely high trade cost) are among the few reasons Hoerner might not be a perfect fit for Boston.
Isaac Paredes
Pro: Impressive blend of power and plate discipline
Few players have 30-homer potential AND a great eye at the plate, but Paredes checks both boxes. In 2025, the Astros third baseman was named an American League All-Star after posting a .254/.352/.458 slash line with 20 dingers. It was Paredes’ second straight All-Star campaign, and before that, he earned down-ballot MVP votes in 2023 after slugging a career-high 31 homers. In each of the past five seasons, Paredes has had a strikeout rate below 20% and a walk rate above 10%, both encouraging marks. His ability to draw free passes without whiffing or chasing pitches out of the zone is a major part of his game.
Con: Is he a fit at Fenway?
Part of the reason for Paredes’ 2025 success with Houston was the Crawford Boxes area above the left-field wall at Daikin Park, a perfect landing spot for Paredes’ dead pull power. Every single one of the righty slugger’s 92 career homers has been pulled to left field, and if he were to play 81 home games at Fenway Park, there’d be a little something in the way. Paredes does have the power to clear the Green Monster some of the time, but according to Statcast, he’d have hit 16 homers if he played every game in Boston in 2025, compared to his season total of 20. That’s better than Paredes would have fared in most other ballparks, but Fenway may not be the best fit for Paredes’ power.
Eugenio Suárez
Pro: Big-time pop
If Suárez can replicate his 2025 in terms of his power production, he has a chance to put up a record-breaking season for the Red Sox. Boston has only had two 50-homer seasons in its rich history -- Jimmie Foxx (50) in 1938 and David Ortiz (54) in 2006 -- and Suárez totaled 49 dingers between the D-backs and Mariners last year. The pop in the veteran third baseman’s right-handed bat would give the Red Sox a new dimension offensively, elevating a club that finished in the middle of the pack in homers in 2025 to a potential top-10 finish league-wide. It’s not just dingers: Suárez drove in a career-high 118 runs last season, and that total might even go up in a talented Red Sox lineup led by Roman Anthony, Trevor Story and Jarren Duran.
Con: Poor defense at third base
With Bregman holding down the hot corner, Boston’s infield defense showed considerable improvement as the 2025 season went on. But if the Red Sox sign Suárez to play third base, they might regress a bit in terms of their glovework. For all he brings at the plate, Suárez graded out as a poor defender in 2025: His -5 Outs Above Average at third base ranked 32nd among 39 qualifying players. Suárez was considerably better in 2023 (+11 OAA) and 2024 (+3 OAA), but 2026 will be his age-34 season, and it could be the continuation of a downward trend.