Overview
- Talks around an Isaac Paredes trade have intensified, with the Red Sox and Pirates described as showing legitimate and aggressive interest, according to reporting cited from Chandler Rome.
- General manager Dana Brown continues to publicly downplay a deal, yet internal voices question carrying all the infielders and view a trade as increasingly realistic.
- Christian Walker’s market is limited by two more seasons at roughly $20 million per year and his age, while Paredes’ $9.35 million salary for 2026 and club control into 2027 make him a more cost-attractive trade piece.
- If no trade materializes, manager Joe Espada may manage a timeshare by scattering off-days while preserving designated hitter at-bats for Yordan Alvarez, with Paredes set for second-base drills and Cam Smith getting center-field reps in camp.
- Media speculation includes an ESPN mock deal sending Walker with cash to the Padres for reliever Bradgley Rodriguez, which remains a proposal rather than an active agreement.