With the Aug. 3 trade deadline looming and the Boston Red Sox sitting last in the AL East, the club is reportedly fielding trade inquiries for players including catcher Connor Wong and pitching options Aroldis Chapman, Justin Slaten, and Garrett Whitlock. For
Boston’s trade conversations aren’t theoretical anymore. They’re reaching the front office while the clock ticks toward the Aug. 3 deadline—less than two months away—and with the Red Sox again in last place in the AL East.
The team’s current record sits at 27-35. and discussions involving multiple players reportedly have been underway as Boston decides whether it will act as a seller or a buyer this trade season. The arrangement isn’t unusual across the American League. but what’s standing out is how specific those calls have become.
Catcher Connor Wong is one of the names reportedly “shopping” teams are asking about. He has fallen to the bottom of Boston’s catching depth in recent weeks and has not hit a home run since 2024. This season, Wong is batting .264, a major lift from his .190 mark last season—but the power drop is still stark. His .375 slugging percentage over the past two years reflects a near absence of impact at the plate.
Behind the plate, Wong has been serviceable, but Baseball Savant metrics show a decline in multiple areas. His catching runs sit at -2, and his framing stats are also at -2, both below league average. A pinkie injury—broken in 2025—could still be affecting him more than a year later. an ailment that matters in a position where catching takes a physical toll.
Boston has options anyway. With Mickey Gasper and Carlos Narvaez available as better alternatives in the organization. the club’s interest in dealing Wong makes sense. And because Wong won’t reach unrestricted free agency until 2029. keeping him on the market also offers potential suitors financial flexibility.
But the louder trade chatter—at least in what it has triggered internally—has centered on Boston’s relief pitching. Teams reportedly are calling about the availability of closer Aroldis Chapman and high-leverage relievers Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock.
For now, Boston’s answer has been blunt. The Red Sox have told interested teams “no,” at least as it relates to moving that bullpen trio.
That matters because the health status and recent performance of the arms involved make them desirable pieces. Whitlock, 29, was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 28 with left knee inflammation. He pitched one inning in a Saturday rehab appearance with the Worcester Red Sox. Even with the interruption, he remains one of the best setup arms in Major League Baseball. Through 19.2 innings, Whitlock has a 1.11 WHIP, along with 25 strikeouts and six walks in 20 appearances.
Chapman, 38, has been dealing with a hamstring issue. Interim manager Chad Tracy said so to reporters after Friday’s win against the New York Yankees. Even with the injury, Chapman has been nearly unhittable in his time on the mound this season. He owns a 0.46 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP through 20 appearances (19.2 innings). He has walked nine batters and hit a batter, but his 33.8 strikeout percentage is what continues to set him apart.
Slaten, 28, missed a month earlier this season due to a right oblique strain. Since returning in early May, he has been effective—sometimes dominant—at the middle-relief level. In 12 appearances, Slaten has posted a 3.27 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP, with 14 strikeouts and four walks.
Even as the Red Sox say they aren’t moving the bullpen trio for now. that hasn’t stopped broader inquiry around the rest of the roster. Jarren Duran is another name that teams have continued to call about. ESPN’s Jeff Passan said earlier this week that Boston and interested organizations value Duran differently. That discrepancy is part of why he remained in the organization after coming up in trade rumors over the winter.
The picture, then, is messy in the way deadlines always are: Boston is being approached, players are being discussed, and yet the club’s reported posture—at least with its highest-leverage pieces—remains protective.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow’s two previous trade deadlines have been described as lackluster. Now, with the Aug. 3 deadline set for next month. the question is whether this time Boston will break from the pattern—and whether any move beyond the catching depth comes before the calendar runs out.
Boston Red Sox trade deadline Connor Wong Aroldis Chapman Justin Slaten Garrett Whitlock Jarren Duran Craig Breslow AL East