The Pirates and Red Sox are two of the “at least five teams” in the discussion Isaac Paredes in trade talks with the Astros, according to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal. This is the first time Pittsburgh has been linked to Paredes, although the two-time All-Star has been known as a target for the Red Sox for much of the winter.
Boston’s search for infield help has been one of their main stories of the offseason, with names such as Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, Ketel Marte, Eugenio Suarez, Nico Hoerner, Brendan Donovan and many others who are reportedly considered free agents or trade targets. In the case of Donovan, Rome and Rosenthal report that the Sox have had some discussions with the Astros and Cardinals about a three-team trade that would send Paredes to Boston, Donovan to Houston, and possibly a multi-player prospect package for the rebuilding Cardinals.
Instead, St. Louis opted for another three-team trade with the Mariners and Rays, and Donovan arrived in Seattle after months of speculation about the shortstop’s future. The exact breakdown of what the Cardinals may have received from the Astros or Red Sox is unknown, but the Donovan deal netted St. Louis is a late first-round prospect (Jurrangelo Cijntje), two other prospects (Tai Pete, Colton Ledbetter) and two draft picks for 2026 in Competitive Balance Round B. CBR picks are the only types of draft picks that can be traded, so the fact that the Rays and Mariners had such picks available and the Sox and Astros were not part of the Cards’ decision to accept that deal over another three-team proposal.
If the Cardinals were ready for what the Red Sox and Astros are offering, the deal would be a couple of big box office picks for two AL teams. Paredes would step in as Boston’s everyday third baseman, adding right-handed balance to the Sox lineup and swing. Marcelo Mayer over an unprepared secondary base mixture. Donovan is known for his versatility, but he may have been Houston’s everyday left fielder, when the Astros first pitched and settled in as. Carlos Correa on third base, Jeremy Pena in a short space, Jose Altuve on second base, too Christian Walker in the beginning. Jordan Alvarez it’s set up for regular DH at-bats and neither Alvarez nor Altuve are well-suited for left field duty, so having Paredes in the fold creates something of a logjam in playing time if everyone else is healthy.
Houston GM Dana Brown has repeatedly said that the Astros are doing well with their infield situation, although this may be a certain game being played, as recent reports suggest that the Astros may still want to deal with their infield balance. Rome and Rosenthal write that Paredes and Walker are both floating in trade talks, and “Paredes is more likely to be dealt than Walker, who has a hefty contract and a limited no-trade clause that makes it difficult to move him.”
The three-year, $60MM free agent contract Walker signed last winter contains a six-party no-trade clause. Without the money and no-trade protection, Walker is also entering his age-35 season, and hit just .238/.297/.421 over 640 plate appearances (which translates to a 99 wRC+) in his first season in Houston. Paredes missed nearly two months of the 2025 season with a hamstring injury but was good when he played, hitting .254/.352/.458 over 438 PA.
It’s not a good situation for the Astros that one of their best and least expensive players could be their most logical trade candidate. However, with Houston’s other players seemingly out of favor for a variety of reasons, a deal with Paredes may be Houston’s best way to deplete the infield, and add a much-needed left-handed bat to the outfield.
As Rome and Rosenthal note, the most obvious way for the Astros and Red Sox to address their twin needs would be to make a deal for each other, as Boston has plenty of left-handed outfielders. Jarren Duran considered the outfielder the Sox might be most willing to move, though Rome/Rosenthal writes that the Astros prefer Wilyer Abreu over Duran, partly because of the price. Abreu is not eligible for compensation next winter, while Duran makes $7.7MM in 2026 and his salary will continue to rise over his remaining two years.
It remains to be seen whether the Astros and Red Sox could end up working out a deal themselves, or perhaps a third party could step in to facilitate the trade. There’s also the possibility that Houston could move Paredes somewhere else entirely, given the widespread interest in his services.
The Pirates and Astros already engaged in a high-profile trade in December, when the two clubs and the Rays swapped three teams. The Buccos traded away their turnovers Mike Burrows to Houston in that deal, while Pittsburgh strengthens its program with the acquisition Brandon Lowe again Jake Mangum. Among those trades, i Ryan O’Hearn signing, and the deal with the Red Sox that brought it Joshynxon Garcia In the away game, the Pirates made it a priority to add much-needed hitting help to the lineup.
Landing Paredes would be the biggest move for the Pirates offense, and it would close a hole at third base. Jared Triolo he’s Pittsburgh’s projected starter at the hot corner, and while Triolo is an outfielder, he hit just .221/.303/.334 over his last 822 PA in 2024-25. As for how the Bucs might be able to meet Houston’s needs, the Pirates have a number of outfielders who are either left-handed hitters or switch-hitters, yet none seem to be a perfect fit. Oneil Cruz he’s probably not going anywhere, Bryan Reynolds probably too expensive for the Astros, and no Mangum either Jack Suwinski will provide clear offensive assistance.
What other teams could Paredes be in? Many contenders are already cornered for infield slots, even if Paredes is viewed as an improvement on the incumbent, a deal could be made with a third party involved. On paper, the Brewers, Tigers, Marlins, Diamondbacks, and Athletics stand out as contenders or would-be contenders who could stand to improve at least one of the first or third base positions.
