Baseball insider has concerning forecast for Red Sox at trade deadline

The Red Sox continue to be named as potential sellers at the 2025 trade deadline. Jaren Duran has already been reported as a player that teams, specifically the Padres, are interested in trading for. But, as the team enters June on an already difficult season's worst 10-game skid to date, the Sox may have little choice but to trade the majority of their existing veterans.

"If the ugliness continues, though, turning an eye toward 2026 is on the table," wrote ESPN's Jeff Passan on Tuesday. "They've got an attractive array of players. ... The question is whether Boston considers going bigger."

Passan qualifies "going bigger" as moving Duran or fellow outfielder Wilyer Abreu, which would take a meaningful piece out of the lineup and bring the best return. But, with top prospect Roman Anthony on the horizon for Boston, one of those two may need to be dealt anyways.

As far as players that will be first to go, Passan has starters Walker Buehler and Lucas Giolito; relievers Aroldis Chapman, Brennan Bernardino, and Justin Wilson; and outfielder Rob Refsnyder all on the Boston chopping block.

Unfortunately for fans, this points to another year of mediocrity and 'building for the future' for the Red Sox. It is starting to look very likely that the Red Sox' infamous 'five-year plan' - that was initiated by Chaim Bloom in 2020 - may actually take at least six seasons to reap any benefits.

Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.