Red Sox Hot Stove: Corey Seager interest emerges, Vaughn Grissom shipped out, Wilyer Abreu in line for everyday duty

The Red Sox are casting a wide net on both the free-agent and trade fronts, and that includes exploring a deal for Rangers superstar shortstop Corey Seager, according to The Boston Globe’s Tim Healy.

Seager, 31, is a four-time All-Star with the Rangers and Dodgers. He launched 21 homers in 100 games last season and is signed to a 10-year, $325 million contract that runs through 2031. If Boston were to land him, he would be owed $186 million over the remainder of the deal.

Seager is just one of several high-impact bats Boston has checked in on. The club has also been linked to Ketel Marte, Isaac Paredes, and Brendan Donovan as Craig Breslow aggressively works the infield market. Texas, meanwhile, has been cutting payroll, already shipping Marcus Semien to the Mets for Brandon Nimmo — a move that opened the door for a conversation about Seager’s availability.

“There are some hitters of note who are trade candidates,” Breslow said Tuesday. “It’s difficult to pry other teams’ best players away. These types of trades should be uncomfortable for both sides… It’s impossible to know today what will reach the finish line, but both trades and free agency are good ways to improve our roster.”

Boston was first connected to Paredes on Tuesday morning. The 27-year-old offers defensive versatility at first and third base and remains under team control for two more seasons. The Astros have reportedly focused on left-handed pitching in talks, zeroing in on Connelly Early or Payton Tolle. Either pitcher would be a steep price for Paredes, but more reasonable in a potential deal for Marte.

Paredes is not the same offensive force as Pete Alonso, whom Boston met with on Zoom before the Winter Meetings. The Red Sox want an in-person meeting in Orlando, but MassLive reports that several top-front-office officials are battling cold and flu symptoms, limiting face-to-face contact with players and agents.

Alonso, who lives in Tampa and drove to the Winter Meetings, could still meet with the club later this week. After Kyle Schwarber landed a five-year, $150-million deal with Philadelphia, Alonso — two years younger — may now seek additional years on his next contract. It remains unclear whether Boston is willing to commit through Alonso’s age-36 or age-37 seasons.

VAUGHN GRISSOM’S BOSTON EXPERIMENT IS OVER

On Day 2 of the Winter Meetings, the Red Sox officially closed the book on the Vaughn Grissom experiment. Boston traded the 24-year-old infielder to the Angels in exchange for minor league outfielder Isaiah Jackson, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The move ends a disappointing two-year tenure for Grissom, whom the Red Sox acquired from Atlanta in December 2023 in the swap that sent Chris Sale to the Braves. The organization envisioned Grissom as its long-term answer at second base, but injuries and inconsistency derailed that plan. He appeared in just 31 big-league games in 2024, spending most of the year on the injured list while other infielders passed him on the depth chart.

By the end of 2024, Boston’s infield picture had become crowded. Marcelo Mayer, David Hamilton, Nick Sogard, Tristan Gray, Romy Gonzalez, Nate Eaton, and spring standout Kristian Campbell were all in the mix for 2025 roster spots, leaving Grissom without a clear role.

The trade gives Grissom a necessary change of scenery and frees up a spot on Boston’s 40-man roster—a notable detail with the Rule 5 Draft set for Wednesday.

In return, the Red Sox add Jackson, the Angels’ eighth-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound left-handed hitter is considered a plus defender with emerging power, coming off an 18-homer season at Arizona State last spring. Jackson becomes the third 2025 draftee the Red Sox have acquired this winter, joining catchers Luke Heyman (from Seattle) and Adonys Guzman (from Pittsburgh) as Boston continues to stock up on young, controllable talent.

EVERYDAY WILYER?

As the Red Sox continue searching for external upgrades, one internal change appears likely for 2026: Wilyer Abreu is expected to face left-handed pitching far more often.

Alex Cora and the front office want Abreu in the lineup every day rather than relying on a platoon.

“With Willy and some of the lefties, we have to see if they can do it,” Cora said. “It’s about that time, especially with Abreu. If he can hit lefties, hit for power, and play defense the way he has, he can be the guy.”

Since debuting in 2023, Abreu has made just 15 starts against lefties and has struggled, hitting .205 with a .589 OPS, compared to .265 and .827 against right-handers. Still, Boston believes he’s earned the chance to prove he can handle the role.

“Wilyer is a really good player,” said Breslow. “He impacts both sides of the ball. He’s earned the right to get some added runway against left-handed pitching. We feel he’s capable of making that adjustment. And with his defensive floor, having him out there more often is going to help the team.”

For the past two seasons, Rob Refsnyder handled most starts versus lefties, but the veteran free agent has drawn interest from multiple American League contenders. If he departs, the Sox have internal depth with Nate Eaton and Campbell factoring into the 2026 outfield mix.

“Nate, last year, the way he played in September — that was eye-opening,” Cora said. “The athlete, the at-bats, everything. We’ve got some intriguing, very athletic guys who can step up and help us.”

RED SOX ADD LEFTY RELIEVER

While most of the buzz around Boston has centered on bats, the Red Sox quietly added a pitching piece, agreeing to a minor league deal with left-handed reliever Alec Gamboa, according to multiple reports.

Gamboa will receive an invite to major league spring training, where he’ll compete for a bullpen spot. If he makes the roster, he’ll earn $925,000. The 29-year-old split last season between Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers system and a stint in South Korea. Primarily a reliever, he made 19 starts overseas, giving Boston a bit of flexibility to evaluate.

The Sox have been reshaping their left-handed relief depth after trading Chris Murphy to the White Sox and Brennan Bernardino to the Rockies. Steven Matz also signed a two-year deal with the Rays and is expected to start in Tampa. When Boston acquired John Oviedo, they also added Double-A lefty Tyler Samaniego, who held left-handed hitters to a .151 average in 2025.

“There are some intriguing guys that we added who might have a chance in spring training,” Cora said. “Righties getting lefties out is important. Lefties getting righties out is huge. We’ve talked to a few guys on the market and on our roster.”

One arm Boston remains high on is Jovani Moran, acquired last year from the Twins for Mickey Gasper.

“Moran is really intriguing because he’s shown he can get righties out,” Cora said. “He’s pitching for Ramon [Vazquez] in Puerto Rico, and we asked him to work on a few things to get lefties out. Hopefully he can be part of the equation.”