If Red Sox sell, Aroldis Chapman leads five trade targets
If the Boston Red Sox pivot to sellers before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, closer Aroldis Chapman heads a five-man list of prime trade candidates that also includes Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Jarren Duran and Brayan Bello, according to MLB.com — with contract quirks likely shaping what Boston gets back.
Boston fell to 31-45 after a ninth-inning collapse at Coors Field and is on pace for a 66-win season, six weeks out from the deadline. With chief baseball officer Craig Breslow under mounting pressure, the club's most tradable veterans could define both Boston's summer market and Breslow's future.
Key Takeaways
- Aroldis Chapman is Boston's top rental chip: 0.83 ERA through 22 appearances, 14 saves before his first blown save since July 2025, and a $13 million mutual option that vests at 40 innings.
- MLB.com's five prime candidates are Gray, Chapman, Contreras, Duran and Bello — each carrying no-trade rights, options or value questions.
- Bleacher Report pegs Seattle as Chapman's best fit; Gray's best landing spot is Atlanta if he waives his full no-trade clause.
- Yahoo Sports cites Ken Rosenthal saying Breslow's job security is a when-not-if question, even if Gray and Chapman alone won't recoup a lost season.
Why is Aroldis Chapman Boston's top trade chip?
At 38, Chapman has not slowed down. MLB.com notes his 97.4 mph fastball sits in the 90th percentile, his 0.9 fWAR ranks 12th among all Major League relievers, and he converted each of his first 14 save chances in 2026 before Monday's blown save in Colorado.
Contenders covet closers every July, and Chapman prefers the ninth inning — meaning suitors need an established closer role. Teams that acquired him at past deadlines — the 2016 Cubs and 2023 Rangers — both won the World Series that year.
Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer calls Chapman the best reliever on the market and lists the Seattle Mariners as his best landing spot, proposing catcher Luke Stevenson as a return package to address Boston's thin catching depth.
Who else could the Red Sox move if they sell?
Sonny Gray (8-1, 3.12 ERA) holds a full no-trade clause but told the Boston Globe he would be open to a conversation if Boston pivots. MLB.com lists the Braves, Brewers, Cardinals and Cubs as suitors; Bleacher Report favors Atlanta and a package headlined by AJ Smith-Shawver.
Willson Contreras has 16 homers and a .901 OPS, but his no-trade rights and multi-year control make a summer deal unlikely. Jarren Duran is controllable through 2028 but is slashing .202/.262/.373, so MLB.com suggests Boston may hold him to rebuild value. Brayan Bello, demoted after a brutal start, could appeal to teams seeking a change-of-scenery arm.
What does Craig Breslow's hot seat mean for deadline moves?
Yahoo Sports reports Boston is 32-46 after firing Alex Cora at 10-17 and going 22-29 under interim manager Chad Tracy. Injuries to Roman Anthony, Garrett Crochet and Trevor Story exposed an offense that was thin on paper from the start.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wrote that predecessors Ben Cherington, Dave Dombrowski and Chaim Bloom were all fired in their fourth seasons — and Breslow is in his third. Rosenthal added: even when Breslow sells, Sonny Gray, Aroldis Chapman and Co. will bring only so much.
Bleacher Report notes Breslow has publicly insisted on chasing wins, yet a 33-46 hole may force a reckoning. For more breaking sports coverage, see our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
Where could Chapman and Gray land?
MLB.com lists Chapman's potential suitors as the Dodgers, Mariners, Phillies and White Sox. Gray's market may hinge on salary: acquiring teams could owe part of his remaining $11 million plus a $10 million option buyout.
If Boston sells, Chapman is the name most likely to move quickly and fetch the strongest prospect return — a rental closer with October pedigree at a moment when Breslow needs credibility in the front office.