Boston Red Sox
“Predictably, the Angels set a really excessive bar when it got here to the return and the 2 groups had been unable to match up.”
The Pink Sox seemingly solidified their infield on Monday, acquiring 3B/2B Caleb Durbin as a part of a six-player commerce with the Brewers.
With Durbin — who completed third in NL Rookie of the 12 months voting in 2025 — doubtless slotting over to 3rd base, the Pink Sox might maintain Marcelo Mayer at second. Trevor Story (shortstop) and Willson Contreras (first base) spherical out the infield.
However, the Pink Sox reportedly left no stone unturned this offseason in hopes of including expertise to their lineup through commerce.
After being linked to Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte all through the winter, the Pink Sox had been reportedly additionally thinking about prying Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto from the West Coast for the correct worth, in accordance with MassLive’s Sean McAdam.
“With Marte off the market, the Pink Sox, in accordance with an trade supply, took a number of tries at acquiring Zach Neto from the Los Angeles Angels,” McAdam wrote on Monday. “Neto, 25, is a plus defender with extra pop — a mixed 49 homers the final two years — and would have been a big addition.
“A pure shortstop, Neto might have moved to both second or third in the interim till Trevor Story’s deal was up. However predictably, the Angels set a really excessive bar when it got here to the return and the 2 groups had been unable to match up.”
Neto has been one of many extra underrated gamers in baseball over the previous couple of seasons, posting two-straight 20-20 seasons with Los Angeles. Behind his profile as a robust infield glove with 20-30-homer energy, Neto is below staff management via the tip of the 2029 season.
The case might be made that the value to amass Neto could be much like the doubtless haul it will have taken to commerce for Marte. Marte is a longtime All-Star expertise and arguably the most effective second baseman within the sport, however Neto is seven years youthful, on a less expensive contract with years of management, and may need extra room to develop.
Moderately than probably deal away blue-chip prospects like Mayer, Franklin Arias, Payton Tolle, or big-league regulars like Jarren Duran for Neto, the Pink Sox as an alternative opted to amass a flexible participant with good bat-to-ball expertise in Durbin.
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