Red Sox trade proposal sends Connelly Early as headliner for Nationals’ 25-year-old All-Star

Red Sox trade proposal sends Connelly Early as headliner for Nationals’ 25-year-old All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Red Sox have a big need in the infield thanks to Alex Bregman leaving to sign with the Chicago Cubs. With a huge need in the infield and few free agent options, the trade market is their best option.

Fortunately, targets are abundant. Isaac Paredes, Brett Baty, Matt Shaw, and many others would fit the Red Sox’s needs. But, there is one option that hasn’t been explored much that would certainly be an exciting and unexpected option.

A trade proposal from ESPN’s David Schoenfield would have the Red Sox making a trade using Connelly Early as the headliner for Washington Nationals All-Star shortstop, CJ Abrams.

Red Sox trade proposal lands CJ Abrams using Early, two other young players

“Nationals trade SS CJ Abrams to Red Sox for LHP Connelly Early, RHP Juan Valera, IF David Hamilton,” Schoenfield proposed.

This proposal from Schoenfield is an interesting one, as the Red Sox would be giving up a lot of talent in Early, Valdera, and Hamilton, but landing a great player in All-Star CJ Abrams.

But the more interesting part of this proposal is that the Red Sox, by adding Abrams to the roster, would be turning him into a second baseman.

The 25-year-old infielder has been a shortstop his entire career, though he has played 13 games in the Majors at second base, which came in 2022 with the San Diego Padres.

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However, while the change for Abrams might be daunting, it actually might make him a lot more valuable. He’s a negative defensively at shortstop, but in his limited sample size at second base, he was a net positive.

This trade proposal, sending Early, Valera, and Hamilton for Abrams, would be a lot to give up for a second baseman, but with it being a shortstop converting over to a new position, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

It’s an expensive package, but for three years of play from Abrams at second base, where he should be a good defender and still provide his career average of .717 OPS, it’s a proposal that makes some sense.