Red Sox’s Unexpected Shift: Why Astros’ Paredes May No Longer Be the Answer

Just when you thought the Astros-Red Sox chatter was heating up — bam, it flips on a dime. Barely five days ago, whispers swirled around Houston’s third baseman Isaac Paredes potentially heading to Boston in exchange for outfielder Jarren Duran. But, as any hardcore baseball fan knows, the offseason rumor mill spins fast, and what’s hot one minute can cool off just as quick.

Fast forward to today, and Jen McCaffrey from The Athletic drops some fresh intel that throws a new light on Boston’s offseason game plan. Red Sox brass aren’t fully sold on Marcelo Mayer’s defensive slot — there’s a nod toward keeping him at third base, given his solid play after Bregman’s injury, but the long game points to Mayer anchoring shortstop once Story’s tenure ends post-2027. With Mayer’s range and glove in mind, the Sox seem dead set on enhancing their infield defense by targeting a ballplayer who prioritizes strong defense at second base.

The tricky part? That approach likely leaves Paredes—who’s had his struggles beneath the lights at third—out in the cold for this specific need. So while the door isn’t slammed shut on potential trades between Houston and Boston, today’s insights definitely shift the narrative away from a Paredes-for-Duran swap being imminent or even probable.

For the full scoop from McCaffrey’s detailed piece, including the strategic pivots the Red Sox are making to bolster their roster, you can check out the original here: LEARN MORE

Just five days ago, one of the hottest rumors making the rounds involved the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox having discussions involving Astros 3B Isaac Paredes and Red Sox OF Jarren Duran.

As typical to baseball offseason talks, however, that could all be a thing of the past just as fast as it was the hot rumor.

In her article today at The Athletic, Red Sox reporter Jen McCaffrey laid out a different path forward for the Red Sox this offseason:

Though Breslow wouldn’t commit to (Marcelo) Mayer at second or third base, a source with the team recently noted a preference for Mayer at third. After Bregman’s injury last season, Mayer played well at the position, but there’s also an idea of keeping him on the same side of the field as his natural shortstop position. He’s likely the heir to the shortstop spot after Story’s contract is up following the 2027 season.

With that in mind, it appears the Red Sox are seeking a strong defensive second baseman.

“It’s really important that we improve our defense, particularly our infield defense,” Breslow said. “Any additions that we may make, we’ll be very mindful of the defensive skillset.”

That would seem to rule out Houston’s Isaac Paredes, who has struggled defensively at third base.

You can see the whole article here (subscription required):

Inside the pivot that led the Red Sox to double down on pitching and add Ranger Suárez.

Also notes in here about the Red Sox looking to add a defense-first infielder https://t.co/gC2QquaHxV

— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) January 21, 2026

While this doesn’t mean a deal between the two teams doesn’t eventually happen anyway, as trade talks ebb and flow all offseason and pivots/re-pivots happen all the time, it does change the outlook and perception of a deal that could possibly involve Isaac Paredes and the Red Sox to a less likely scenario.