What could a Red Sox trade for Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte look like?

If the Crimson Sox need to purchase Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte, it’ll nearly definitely price a reasonably penny.

Marte, 32, has undoubtedly been one in every of baseball’s greatest second basemen and arguably one of many sport’s prime hitters over the previous couple of years. The switch-hitter logged a .283 batting common with 28 house runs, 72 RBIs, and a .893 OPS in 126 video games final season, incomes an All-Star nod for the second straight season.

Because the Crimson Sox are among the many groups reportedly most concerned about buying and selling for Marte this offseason, we nonetheless don’t know a lot about what they’ve provided the Diamondbacks to get the star at this level. However there are some clues about what it would take to land Marte.

The Diamondbacks are looking for younger pitching in any commerce involving Marte, The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal recently reported. So, if the Crimson Sox are critical about wanting Marte, at the very least one in every of Payton Tolle or Connelly Early would presumably must be included in any provide. Each pitchers had spectacular moments of their first style of MLB motion this previous season, and stay two of Boston’s prime prospects forward of the 2026 season.

Actually, the Diamondbacks have been reportedly concerned about Early when the Crimson Sox sought to probably commerce for Zac Gallen or Merrill Kelly forward of this previous season’s commerce deadline.

Nevertheless, a reported provide from the Rays would possibly give a clue of what the Crimson Sox must beat with a view to land Marte. The Rays are providing one in every of pitcher Ryan Pepiot or pitcher Shane Baz plus different items in a deal for Marte, Rosenthal recently reported. Each pitchers are a bit extra confirmed than Tolle and Early, with Pepiot finishing his second full season as a starter and with a sub-4.00 ERA in each seasons. Baz, in the meantime, simply had his first full season as a starter after present process Tommy John surgical procedure, posting a 4.87 ERA.

If the Diamondbacks like both of these pitchers greater than Tolle or Early, Brayan Bello would doubtless be probably the most comprable participant the Crimson Sox may provide for Marte. Bello (26) is barely older than Baz (26) and is youthful than Pepiot (28). Bello’s additionally beneath staff management for a yr longer than both Rays pitcher and his 2025 season was arguably stronger than any season Baz or Pepiot have pitched.

However the Diamondbacks’ wishlist for what it desires in a commerce for Marte won’t finish with younger beginning pitchers. The Diamondbacks “is likely to be intrigued” by Marcelo Mayer, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported Friday. A number of evaluators have additionally puzzled if the Diamondbacks would ask for Mayer from the Crimson Sox in a deal involving Marte, The Boston Globe‘s Alex Speier reported.

The Crimson Sox suppose there’s a path to get a deal accomplished for Marte with out having to incorporate Mayer, Cotillo added in his report. However the Crimson Sox haven’t completely made Mayer an untouchable, even when they’ve “shwon reluctance” to commerce him, in accordance with Speier.

Mayer, who turned 23 on Friday, was one of many prime prospects in baseball previous to getting referred to as up this season. He confirmed flashes, hiting 4 homers in 44 video games and displayed plus protection at a number of positions. However a wrist harm sidelined Mayer for the season in July, marking one other yr for him that was lower quick as a result of harm. With Mayer constructing an harm historical past, his worth has taken a little bit of hit, in accordance with Speier.

An fascinating wrinkle to the entire commerce discuss surrounding Marte is his contract. In contrast to many different stars who get traded, he’s beneath contract for fairly a bit. He has 5 seasons remaining on a six-year, $116.5 million deal, holding a smaller cap quantity for the following couple of season earlier than his cap hit jumps as much as $20 million in 2028.

With Marte turning into a uncommon star over 30 and beneath contract for the forseeable future turning into obtainable on the commerce market, there aren’t many comprable gamers who’ve been traded in latest reminiscence. The closest is likely to be when the Diamondbacks traded star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to the Cardinals forward of the 2019 season. Goldschmidt was 31 on the time of the deal and had been named an All-Star in every of the earlier six seasons.

The Cardinals gave up pitcher Luke Weaver, catcher Carson Kelly, infielder Andrew Younger, and a 2019 competitive-balance spherical B draft decide in that deal. Weaver was the headliner prospect in that deal, rating as one of many Cardinals’ prime prospects and Baseball America’s Fiftieth-best propsect forward of thte 2017 season. He made his debut in 2016, and had a comparatively unspectacular stint within the majors with Cardinals (4.79 ERA) earlier than getting traded to the Diamondbacks.

So, the Diamondbacks’ ask for Marte appears to be a bit stronger than what they obtained for Goldschmidt seven years in the past. Finally, a suggestion involving at the very least Bello and a pair different prime prospects could possibly be sufficient primarily based on the reporting that’s on the market to date, whereas a suggestion centered round one in every of Tolle or Early may need to incorporate some extra sweeteners.

Past Mayer, the Crimson Sox may sweeten their provide by together with one in every of Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu as they nonetheless have a surplus of outfielders. Including a type of gamers would definitely be useful for the Diamondbacks in addition to it could at the very least make up for a number of the manufacturing misplaced by buying and selling Marte.