The Boston Red Sox are staring down a massive gap at third base heading into the offseason, with star Alex Bregman poised to hit free agency this winter. Bregman, projected to land a whopping $182 million contract, has shown interest in returning to Boston on a long-term deal if the Red Sox front office steps up. But with the possibility of Bregman bolting for a richer offer elsewhere, the team must have contingency plans in place.
If Boston can’t lure Bregman back, they can pivot to free agency or the trade market to bolster the hot corner. Opting for a trade could open up intriguing possibilities, and according to Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller, one prime target is Tampa Bay Rays third base phenom Junior Caminero—a division rival’s rising star who could supercharge the Sox lineup.
In a bold move to dominate the AL East, the Red Sox could swoop in and acquire Caminero, the 21-year-old slugger who just torched the majors with 45 home runs in his first full season, earning a finalist nod for the 2025 Hank Aaron Award as one of the league’s top offensive forces. This powerhouse performance nearly matched the combined output of Boston’s top two boppers, Trevor Story and Wilyer Abreu, who together hit 47 long balls.
“They could re-sign Bregman,” Miller wrote for Bleacher Report. “They could also let it ride with some combination of Marcelo Mayer, Nate Eaton and Nick Sogard at the hot corner. But Caminero darn near hit as many home runs as Boston’s top two sluggers combined—Trevor Story and Wilyer Abreu had a total of 47—and he would cost them a combined sum of, roughly, $1.7 million over his next two years of pre-arbitration.”
Miller outlined a detailed trade proposal that would reshape both franchises:
Boston Red Sox acquire: 3B Junior Caminero Tampa Bay Rays acquire: SS Franklin Arias, LHP Payton Tolle, OF Jhostynxon Garcia and RHP Kyson Witherspoon
“The Boston Red Sox have four players ranked in the top 100 of MLB.com’s pipeline, and yes, this is all four of them,” Miller added. “Both Tolle and Garcia made their MLB debuts this season, Witherspoon was their first-round pick this past summer, and Arias is the highest-rated prospect of the bunch at No. 24 overall. … It would be an expensive trade as far as prospects goes, but it’s at least financially a preposterously cheap solution to arguably their biggest 2026 need. That would enable them to spend big elsewhere on a first baseman or a co-ace to pair with Garrett Crochet. …. And for as good as Caminero was this past season, it might be worth turning him into two promising arms, a potential 30 HR outfielder and a middle infielder who could replace Brandon Lowe after next season.”
Snagging Caminero would allow the Red Sox to address their third base woes without breaking the bank, freeing up payroll to chase other marquee additions like a power-hitting first baseman or an ace pitcher to complement Garrett Crochet. Sure, it’d gut Boston’s vaunted farm system—surrendering all four top-100 prospects—but in the relentless pursuit of a World Series title, prospects are chips to be played, not hoarded.
For the Rays, the haul would be a windfall of young talent ready to contribute immediately or soon after, injecting fresh blood into their roster and maintaining their reputation for shrewd asset management. This blockbuster could ignite a division rivalry inferno, positioning the Sox for a takedown of the AL East while sending Tampa back to the drawing board. With Caminero’s juggernaut bat in Fenway, Boston’s championship dreams just got a whole lot louder.