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Report: Red Sox trade target off market, won’t be dealt before Opening Day
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- Report: Red Sox trade target off market, won’t be dealt before Opening Day
Throughout December, the Red Sox were heavily linked to Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte in trade talks. Those discussions have ended.
Arizona has decided not to trade Marte before Opening Day, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal , and has signaled that to interested clubs. The news takes one of the top available position players off the trade market.
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Marte, a three-time All-Star who has received MVP votes in each of the last two seasons, was shopped by Arizona this winter after reports surfaced during the season citing some clubhouse tension involving the 32-year-old. The Red Sox, who entered the winter with plenty of question marks in their infield, were an obvious suitor for Marte, who would have provided a bonafide option at second base in 2026 and beyond. Marte is under contract through 2030 and has a player option for 2031, making him attractive to teams looking to add a star on a long-term basis.
With other teams like Tampa Bay involved in talks, the Red Sox stayed engaged with the Diamondbacks, who reportedly had interest in young starters Payton Tolle and Connelly Early . Marcelo Mayer was another name on Arizona’s radar. Ultimately, talks with all clubs seemed to sputter around New Year’s Day and Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen told MLB.com that discussions would “very likely” end soon. A week later, Rosenthal’s report is an official, albeit somewhat unusual, signaling that Marte will stay put.
“It never ended up getting that close,” Hazen told MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert, confirming the news . “Just sort of reaffirming what I’ve been saying the entire offseason, like my expectation was this wasn’t going to happen. I felt like I had to do my job just to listen to what people had to say. He’s a superstar player for us, and has been for a long time, and is going to continue to be.”
The Red Sox have already added one infielder in a trade, acquiring Willson Contreras for Hunter Dobbins and two pitching prospects shortly before Christmas. Contreras will man first base for Boston , leaving second base and third base open with fewer than five weeks to go before pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Boston remains engaged in the markets for Alex Bregman (third base) and Bo Bichette (who would move to second base) and is aiming to sign one of them , with Mayer potentially playing whichever position remains open. Arizona has been heavily linked to Bregman but might now be hesitant to spend big money to add him with Marte — and the $102.5 million remaining on his deal over the next six seasons — remaining on the payroll.
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“Hazen said he still has money in the budget to add a couple of relievers, though, it seems unlikely that the team has the financial wherewithal to add a big-dollar free agent on a long-term deal after not trading Marte,” Gilbert wrote.
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