The Boston Red Sox offseason has been a rollercoaster of rumors and near-misses, but a fresh update on Houston Astros slugger Isaac Paredes is igniting real excitement among the Fenway faithful. After whiffing on Alex Bregman and inking starter Ranger Suárez, the Sox have been scouring the market for that elusive infield upgrade.

Names like Chicago Cubs’ Gold Glove wizard Nico Hoerner, St. Louis Cardinals’ All-Star utility ace Brendan Donovan, and free-agent power hitter Eugenio Suárez have swirled in the trade winds. But let’s face it—with Spring Training looming just weeks away, perfection is a pipe dream. Enter Paredes: a young, versatile bomber who could be the spark Boston desperately needs.

If you’re craving more edge-of-your-seat sports scoops like this, make Sports Illustrated your go-to on Google for all the latest.

Paredes and Suárez pack serious lumber, capable of launching moonshots that could transform the Red Sox lineup. But defense? That’s where they falter—not exactly Gold Glove material. Hoerner, on the other hand, is a defensive maestro who gets on base like it’s his job (because it is), but prying him from the Cubs for just one year of control before free agency would drain Boston’s prospect pool dry. Donovan’s another intriguing lefty, but the Sox are already stacked with southpaws, and his price tag screams “premium.”

The Red Sox aren’t done wheeling and dealing, though. And that’s where the bombshell drops: Boston is squarely in the mix for Paredes, the 26-year-old Astros third baseman who’s got 30-plus homer potential and the flexibility to roam the infield. Sure, his 2025 defensive metrics weren’t stellar (-3 outs above average), but rewind the tape—six OAA in 2022, even in 2023, and just -1 in 2024. This guy’s young, proven, and on an upward trajectory. He’s not flawless, but in a thin market, he’s as close as it gets.

According to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, the interest is mutual and heating up: “The Boston Red Sox are among multiple teams interested in Paredes, according to multiple league sources. No deal is believed to be close—and [Dana Brown] did not address Paredes’ availability on Saturday—but Brown’s desire for balance only amplifies a potential fit between Boston and Houston.”

That’s the kind of intel that gets pulses racing. Paredes comes with two years of team control, a huge edge over one-and-done options like Hoerner. And the Astros’ righty-dominant lineup? It’s begging for some left-handed balance, which Boston has in spades. If the Sox are hunting for another power bat, Paredes might just be the prize.

No, a deal isn’t imminent—that’s not the fairy-tale ending fans crave right now. But with Spring Training on the horizon, there’s still time for magic. Rome’s nod to Brown’s “desire” for lineup harmony “amplifying” this potential match-up? That’s the glimmer of hope Red Sox Nation needs. Houston’s righty overload meets Boston’s lefty surplus—could this be the trade that finally clicks? Stay tuned; the hot stove is still sizzling.