Red Sox Blockbuster Trade Idea Nabs 'Underrated' $9 Million Righty Slugger

Would this trade give the Red Sox a suitable Tyler O'Neill replacement?

Aug 1, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Los Angeles Angels hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox haven't officially released their New Year's resolutions, but one can safely assume landing a new right-handed slugger is at the top of their list.

After Tyler O'Neill departed for the Baltimore Orioles, the Red Sox focused mainly on improving their starting rotation. With the additions of Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Patrick Sandoval, they appear to have done just that.

However, as the Major League Baseball calendar turns to 2025, the Red Sox still have a noticeable dearth of right-handed power.

Many have floated free agent Alex Bregman as a solution to that problem, but the Red Sox seem hesitant to commit to Bregman for five-plus years. Might they opt for a short-term trade fix instead?

On Thursday, Cody Williams of FanSided named Ward as a top trade target for the Red Sox if they miss out on Bregman, calling him the "most underrated" potential acquisition among right-handed sluggers.

The Red Sox, if they miss out on Bregman, might not be in the market anymore for a true force multiplier," Williams wrote. "Ward checks the boxes for what Boston is looking for in a right-handed bat."

"Not only is Ward versatile defensively to help fill multiple holes in any lineup but he's been a consistent lefty killer in his career. This past season, while the overall OPS was at .748, it was a blistering .873 against lefties. For his career, the OPS is at .805, almost 50 points higher than his career OPS."

Any team that trades for the 31-year-old Ward will get two years of team control, since he's fourth-year arbitration eligible. Though Ward isn't the headline acquisition many Red Sox fans might be dreaming of, there are several things to like about his profile.

He nearly matched O'Neill in home runs, hitting a career-high 26 this season, and there's reason to believe he could hit even more if he played his home games at righty-friendly Fenway Park. Plus, he played in 156 games last season, by far the most of his seven-year career.

Ward is projected for a $9 million salary this season in arbitration (via Spotrac). It's a number the Red Sox could easily fit under the luxury tax threshold and continue adding to the roster. While maybe not the splash addition some are hoping for, there's a chance it could work out well.

More MLB: Red Sox Projected To Trade For $85 Million Slugger As 'Plan B' After Alex Bregman