The Boston Red Sox could be poised for some major additions this winter.
The team reportedly has made a contract offer to superstar outfielder Juan Soto. And it has been linked to frontline starters on the free agent market like Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell and Max Fried.
But the Red Sox might also trade for some blockbuster roster boosts. Pitching one such deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, Thomas Gauvain of FanSided proposed a five-player swap that would bring Nolan Arenado, Ryan Helsley, pitching prospect Gordon Graceffo and $15 million to Boston.
In exchange, the Cardinals would receive Boston prospects Yoeilin Cespedes and Richard Fitts.
"The Cardinals get a lottery ticket prospect in Cespedes and a pitcher with some assurance in Fitts," Gauvain wrote. "In exchange, Boston gets their defensive-minded third baseman, a reliable reliever, and a pitching prospect who can fill in the rotation when necessary. They also get some cash to offset the difference in salary between the players."
Trade speculation around Arenado has been picking up as the Cardinals prepare for a roster rebuild after a disappointing 2024 season. The 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, eight-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger has a full no-trade clause as part of the eight-year, $260 million extension he signed with the Colorado Rockies in 2019, but he could waive it for a contender like the Red Sox.
Adding Arenado could allow Boston to move star slugger Rafael Devers to first base, lightening his defense load and potentially gaining an improvement for the team's overall defense.
The Red Sox should also have some significant interest in Helsley, the reigning National League reliever of the year, as Kenley Jansen explores free agency. Helsley racked up 49 saves, the most in Major League Baseball, en route to his second-career All-Star nod in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox would retain their top prospects in this pitch, including Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell and Kyle Teel, who all might be untouchable in trade discussions.
And finally, Graceffo, a right-hander who falls just outside of the Cardinals' top-10 ranked prospects, could find a big-league role with Boston in 2025 as well.
"Graceffo, 24, was once a top organizational prospect, but he's fallen from grace a bit," Gauvain wrote. "He could be a viable bullpen or back-end starting pitcher for Boston."
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