The Kansas City Royals have had a terrible 2026 season, so naturally, questions about the future of the team ahead of the trade deadline have started to emerge.
It was a similar story for the Boston Red Sox just a few weeks ago, but a recent 15-game winning streak has propelled them back into a playoff spot and buyers as they push for the postseason.
Shortstop is the position Boston wants and needs to address most, and given that Kansas City is second-last in the American League, some have started to pitch the idea of swinging for the fences and going after Bobby Witt Jr. That proposition started to gain some traction within Red Sox circles, however, Jared Carrabis recently revealed on the Baseball Is Dead podcast that an outside source totally shut down the thought of Witt Jr. being dealt, no matter the offer.
“I was asking people more on the Red Sox side and it was like, oh, okay, we’re thinking Witt. But last night at like midnight, I had a conversation with someone outside of the Red Sox organization and they just p***** all over that fire. They were just like, yeah, why would the Royals do that? I’ll read you exactly what they said. I said, do you think that Witt could be had if it’s a gross overpay? No, he’s untradeable when you’re trying to move into a new stadium. Even if the Red Sox overpaid for him, it was a no,”
The 24-year-old Witt Jr. signed an 11-year, $288.8 million contract extension with the Royals in February 2024. He’s batting .279 with 13 home runs and 39 RBI while also having stolen 30 bases and providing 18 outs above average at shortstop, second in MLB, in 94 games played this season.
Witt Jr. being traded was always a pipe dream scenario for Boston or any team, though it’s that time of year when just about anything can happen in MLB.
While acquiring the best shortstop in baseball would undoubtedly have been the perfect addition for the Red Sox, there is no shortage of other available impactful options at the position, including CJ Abrams, Zach Neto, and Jeremy Pena. We’ll just have to wait and see what Craig Breslow has up his sleeve over the next week or so.
Next: Are the Golden State Warriors Building for Life After Stephen Curry?
