The Boston Red Sox are days away from the trade deadline and have no intention of standing still. The front office traded Connelly Early for Curtis Mead over the weekend, only to lose Mead to a fractured wrist in his first game with the team. The need to add impact bats just got louder.
Boston has gone 20-3 since June 25 and sits at 55-51 heading into Wednesday night’s series finale in West Sacramento. The roster is built to contend, but the middle infield still needs an answer before August 3.
One name continues to surface above the rest, and ESPN’s top insider just made the case for why.
Passan Links Red Sox to Neto
Jeff Passan addressed the Los Angeles Angels‘ shortstop situation on the Sources Tell Jeff Passan Podcast.
“I think by the end of this deadline, Zach Neto might be the best player traded,” Passan said. “The Angels are gonna want to hit a home run on this, and they very well could with Zach Neto.”
Passan named the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies as teams that could be in on the Angels shortstop. That puts Boston in a bidding war with three of the sport’s biggest spenders.
The competition is real. All four teams have the prospect capital and financial flexibility to make a compelling offer. The Angels know it, and Passan’s comments suggest they intend to leverage that interest for maximum return.
GettyANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JULY 18: Zach Neto #9 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts during the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images)
Why Boston Does Not Have to Chase the Price
The Red Sox have something most teams in this race do not. Internal options at the same position.
Franklin Arias just arrived at Triple-A Worcester at 20 years old. He is one of the best prospects in baseball and plays shortstop with a skill set that projects as special. Marcelo Mayer is 23 with the pedigree of a former top-five pick and years of development still ahead.
If the Angels’ asking price climbs beyond reason, Boston can walk away knowing the position has a future regardless. That is leverage most bidders do not carry into this kind of negotiation.
Craig Breslow has already shown he is willing to be aggressive. The Mead trade proved that. But there is a difference between being bold and being reckless.
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 12: Franklin Arias #19 of the Boston Red Sox on the American League Team warms up at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Red Sox
Neto checks the boxes Boston is looking for right now. The bat, the contract, the age. All of it lines up.
But the price is climbing, and other franchises are pushing it higher. The Red Sox do not need to win a bidding war to solve shortstop long-term. Arias and Mayer are both still in the organization. The future at the position exists with or without this deal.
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