The Boston Red Sox were active in the trade market before the 2026 season, to say the least.
The biggest additions for the Red Sox this past offseason in the trade market both came in separate deals with the St. Louis Cardinals. In one deal, the Red Sox acquired Willson Contreras. In the other deal, Boston acquired Sonny Gray.
Contreras has been the club's most consistent hitter all season to this point. He's played in 56 games so far this season for Boston and is slashing .286/.384/.505 with an .889 OPS, 11 homers and 33 RBIs. On top of this, Contreras is in the 85th percentile in outs above average.
That deal was a positive for the Red Sox. Boston sent Hunter Dobbins and prospects Blake Aita and Yhoiker Fajardo to the Cardinals. Dobbins was impactful for the Red Sox last season. As a rookie, he pitched in 13 games and had a 4.13 ERA before tearing his ACL. So far this season, he has pitched in two games in the majors for the Cardinals and has a 4.50 ERA in eight innings pitched.
Dobbins isn't in the organization any longer and it seems as if his father, Lance, took a subtle dig at the organization on Monday on social media.
"One organization says, 'No sinkers because it’s not what we want you to do,' but the new org that traded for him says '98 mph sinkers, absolutely!!!' 'You go be you and we trust you!'"
One organization says, “No sinkers because it’s not what we want you to do”, but the new org that traded for him says “98 mph sinkers, absolutely!!!” “You go be you and we trust you!”@HunterD_20 @EdHand89
— Lance Dobbins (@lpdobbins) June 1, 2026
That certainly doesn't sound like a positive comment towards the Red Sox.