It’s trade deadline season, and that means endless rumors are bound to come up until the deadline on August 3rd. And for the surging Red Sox, that means, hopefully, buying at the deadline to make this team a contender. Their pitching staff is pretty loaded as is, but it’s the lineup that could use some help. Everyone seems to be clicking at the right time, but other than first baseman Willson Contreras, there’s no real consistent power bat in the lineup, save for a streaky Wilyer Abreu here and there.
Red Sox Trade Rumors: Breaking Down Hunter Goodman Hypothetical
The lineup can also be lefty-heavy at times, emphasizing the need for the bat to be right handed. Although they’ve reportedly been looking at options the whole season, none of the options have really stuck out. Recently, though, a mock trade from The Athletic’s Jim Bowden (subscription required) has hinted towards the possibility of one of MLB’s best catchers being available.
The Trade
Red Sox Get: Hunter Goodman (C)
Colorado Rockies Get: Connelly Early (P), Kyson Witherspoon (P, Red Sox #4 Prospect), Marcelo Mayer (SS), Carlos Narvaez (C)
Why Do This Trade?
Boston:
Boston does this trade for a few reasons. One, the aforementioned need for a right-handed power bat. Goodman’s got 30 homers on the year (and was arguably a snub from the Home Run Derby this year). But he’s got 18 of those on the road, proving he’s not a Coors Field merchant. Secondly, he’s under team control until 2030. With Connor Wong’s deal expiring in 2029, and Narvaez potentially going in this deal, the catcher situation seems to be up in the air in the long term.
However, there were also discussions a couple of months back around not really having a defined starter at the position. Between Wong, Narvaez, and Mickey Gasper, none of them really stand out above the rest in the eyes of the team. Goodman could provide that should a shakeup happen over there.
Colorado:
Colorado needs a fresh start. They’ve lost 100+ games in each of the last three seasons, including an abysmal 119 games last season. In addition, they haven’t been over .500 since 2018, when they finished second in the NL West. With the 2026 squad currently 21 games under .500, some players with value, such as Mickey Moniak and Willi Castro, may be out the door in two weeks.
This team needs a fresh start. Early provides them with an ace-level pitcher with years of control (2032 free agent), as well as a projected star pitcher in Witherspoon. Although Narvaez’s bat may be questionable, his glovework isn’t bad. Narvaez threw out roughly the same number of runners (19.4% to Goodman’s 20%) this season but caught a league-leading 32 runners last year. He has half the errors that Goodman committed so far (four to Goodman’s eight), and he’s proven with more playing time how valuable he can be.
Mayer is a toss-up, but hopefully the hitting and the different environment can help him. He was a former top five pick and top prospect after all, and at just 23 years old, he still has potential to improve at the plate. His glove’s pretty good as well.
Why Say No to the Trade?
Boston:
The Red Sox may likely jump at this right away. The offer of a slugging catcher with years of control like him is too good to pass up on. But as mentioned, they would get worse defensively. Narvaez isn’t what he was last year, but he’s still a solid defender. Wong’s a good defender overall, but less experienced the past couple of years after splitting time.
Colorado:
Goodman might be the type of guy that the Rockies want to build around. Especially if they’re trading other hitters, the lineup will look a lot different. Having a centerpiece like Goodman to build around could be intriguing, as the catcher has back-to-back 30+ HRs.
The Last Word: Does This Trade Work?
Ultimately, as big of a loss Early would be, newcomer Jake Bennett seems to be filling the role of young lefty pretty well in his absence. The Red Sox have a deep pitching staff (which is never a bad thing), and eventually, when this team gets fully healthy, someone’s going to get bumped out, whether it’s a player being sent down or traded for a big bat.
And Goodman provides not only a need in the power department, but also a catcher. That combo for Boston hasn’t really been seen since Jason Varitek. He would be a welcome addition to the Red Sox, and Colorado would have a nice return package. In the end, though, it’s unlikely he gets moved. But if he were to go on the market, this offer seems a little hard to pass up.
Main Photo Credits: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
