The Boston Red Sox have another chance to bolster their roster this season.
According to recent reporting by Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY, the Diamondbacks are listening to trade offers for franchise second baseman Ketel Marte, slotting him among their trade chips. Arizona needs pitching badly, both in its rotation and bullpen, after its offseason attrition and injuries among its arms.
Even though general manager Mike Hazen has downplayed the odds of a trade occurring, saying a Marte trade is "mostly unlikely", he didn't completely close the door. That subtlety keeps the rumor mill alive, and it makes Marte one of the largest available offensive assets on the market right now.
Marte remains an elite producer, and the Red Sox have more than enough players to get a deal done. In 2025, he had a .283 batting average with 28 home runs, while maintaining a .893 OPS and a .517 slugging percentage. For a team that's looking to do a hard reset on the team, the 32-year-old could be the odd man out in the desert, and Boston should take advantage of the situation.
Fortunately, the annual MLB Winter Meetings are about to take place in Orlando, beginning on Sunday, which is the perfect time for Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow to hammer out a deal. He'll have a chance to meet with Hazen face-to-face, which could be the key to unlocking a potential Marte trade for Boston.
Red Sox Must Leave Winter Meetings with Ketel Marte
The Red Sox offense has gaps, with uncertainty at multiple spots in their infield. Landing Marte would instantly upgrade their offense with a bat that handles both power and average. Given that Boston has some pitching depth and payroll flexibility, a deal centered around pitching assets for Marte will undoubtedly match both sides.
Players that could be centered around a trade for Marte could start with Payton Tolle, the 23-year-old who spent less than a full season in the minors before making the big leagues in late August. He was one of the high-risers in 2025 and is in line to be a future ace.
Adding right-handed hurlers David Sandlin and Luis Perales would be convincing as well. Both of these men are top 10 prospects, with Perales at No. 8 and Sandlin at No. 9, and both are sitting at the Triple-A level going into the 2026 season.
If the Red Sox were to add Marte, they would have to put in either Kristian Campbell or Marcelo Mayer in the deal. Both men had struggled in the Majors this past season, and Campbell was sent back to Triple-A after receiving an eight-year, $60 million extension. Since Campbell is already locked in, Arizona may not want to take that salary on, regardless of it just being $7.5 million a season. Mayer still has the potential to be one of the best shortstops in the game, but he had season-ending wrist surgery. Pick your poison.
Marte represents one of the rare swings, a multi-year, controllable bat that gives any offense a facelift. If Boston sincerely believes they're a bat or two away from World Series contention, then he's absolutely worth a premium.
So even if Marte may not be traded, still keep an eye out. If he moves, he might be a trade that solidifies the Red Sox offense, even if they don't end up bringing back Alex Bregman. In fact, if they don't bring him back, Marte can take on that leadership role in the clubhouse, no sweat.