Report: Red Sox ‘expected’ to end pursuit of Ketel Marte

The Boston Red Sox made a splash trade for a bat over the weekend, and it wasn’t Arizona Diamondbacks star second baseman Ketel Marte.

Boston sent three pitching prospects to the St. Louis Cardinals for veteran first baseman Willson Contreras, a three-time All-Star who fits into the middle of the lineup. St. Louis brought in right-handers Hunter Dobbins, Blake Aita and Yhoiker Fajardo, Boston’s former No. 23 prospect on MLB Pipeline.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported on Sunday that the Red Sox are “expected” to end their chase for Marte after acquiring Contreras, although the Red Sox certainly have the prospect capital to make another blockbuster.

The Red Sox, who will be responsible for $33.5 million of the $41.5 million owed to Willson Contreras, are now expected to end trade talks with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2B Ketel Marte.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 22, 2025

Boston has been involved in Marte trade rumors and reports, as the Red Sox have uncertainty at second base with a flux of pitching prospects and an outfield surplus. They also don’t have an obvious third baseman with Alex Bregman a free agent, and Boston and Arizona have been linked to Bregman this winter.

The Red Sox are “pursuing another bat,” The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey reported after the Contreras deal.

MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported that as of Friday the Red Sox and Diamondbacks remained engaged in talks for Marte.

The Diamondbacks have listened to trade calls for Marte, a three-time All-Star and the game’s best second baseman, throughout the offseason. Arizona has many holes to fill, and Marte’s 10-and-5 rights would give him a full no-trade clause in April.

“There’s been continuous interest,” general manager Mike Hazen said on Friday. “He is one of the best players in baseball. The interest would be reflective, I think, of what you would imagine it to be.”

There are other suitors.

The Tampa Bay Rays have been a team to watch, especially lately.

On Friday, Tampa Bay traded longtime second baseman Brandon Lowe to Pittsburgh and pitcher Shane Baz to Baltimore for a haul of prospects. Lowe and Baz are projected to make a combined $14.5 million in 2026, while Marte’s payroll hit is $16 million.

That’s a team that made the playoffs five straight seasons from 2019-23 before missing out the past two years. The Rays are back in a big league stadium this year after hurricane damage to Tropicana Field led to a full season playing in a spring training park in 2025. And Marte’s contract is so reasonable that a lower-market team could look at it as manageable.

Most of the smoke has surrounded Tampa Bay and Boston since the winter meetings, but there have been other clubs to check in.

Arizona should continue to ask for a haul, considering Marte is 32 years old and coming off a three-year stretch with two All-Star Games, two First Team All-MLB selections, an NLCS MVP and two Silver Sluggers.

Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro said last week this saga will “end soon,” as the Diamondbacks have a lot to get to this offseason whether they trade Marte or not, such as addressing the bullpen.

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