Is Franklin Arias the answer at shortstop in 2026?
Red Sox number one prospect, Franklin Arias, could be the starting shortstop in Boston sooner than we expected after Sox fail to add shortstop at the trade deadline.
The Red Sox made it clear at the trade deadline that they believe this team is capable of competing.
Boston added 3x All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman, strengthened the bullpen by adding left-handed reliever Erik Miller, shored up the depth with utility man Eli White, all while getting positive updates on Roman Anthony, who has started taking overhand batting practice, and that ace Garrett Crochet threw the ball at sixty feet.
But there was one position the Red Sox did not address.
Shortstop.
The one position everyone in Major League Baseball thought the Red Sox would upgrade.
Not for lack of trying, however, as the Sox did reportedly inquire with Cincinnati about superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz. Boston had reportedly offered a plethora of prospects in exchange for the young star. Cincinnati rebuked the deal, citing they wanted to acquire young major league talent rather than players still in minor league development phases of their respective careers.
Despite improving the roster for a postseason push, Boston decided not to take a big swing at trading for one of the notable names being discussed in baseball circles in the weeks leading up to the deadline on Monday.
Boston was linked to Zac Neto of the LA Angels and Otto Lopez of the Miami Marlins. Initially, Jeremy Peña was a trade target, but with Houston playing themselves back into the playoff picture in late July, he was removed from any trade rumors.
Both Lopez and Neto were highly discussed locally and nationally as players likely to be on the move to teams competing this season. The price was rumored to be high for teams looking to bring in either one of the talents that still have multiple years of team control remaining on their current contracts.
Ultimately, neither player was moved.
The decision not to add a shortstop at the deadline opens up an interesting discussion regarding the shortstop position in Boston for the remainder of the season. Who will be on the left side of the middle infield as the Sox continue to push for a playoff berth and make a playoff run, hopefully deep into October?
Andruw Monasterio has arguably been the Red Sox's most productive shortstop this season. While Trevor Story is expected to return soon and could slot back into the lineup despite being largely ineffective during his time this season for the Red Sox, that leads us to the most intriguing name in the mix to take over at shortstop down the stretch: Franklin Arias.
Could the 20-year-old prospect become the answer at shortstop sooner than anyone expected?
Arias has quickly established himself as one of the brightest young talents in baseball. Across 83 games in AA and AAA this season, Arias is producing to the tune of .314/.401/.579 with an OPS of .980 and 21 homers on the season.
The Red Sox's number one prospect has only played eight games with AAA Worcester but has proven himself productive with an OPS of .864 with 10 hits in 35 at-bats, including two home runs while batting leadoff.
The question is no longer whether Arias is the Red Sox shortstop of the future.
The question is whether or not he is the Red Sox shortstop of now.
Boston is in a different position than it has been in recent years. This is no longer an organization simply waiting for the future to arrive. After making aggressive moves at the deadline that saw them deal former number one overall prospect Marcello Mayer to the Giants.
Boston continues to win games in convincing fashion after going on an impressive 15-game winning streak, an MLB-best 21-4 in July, and currently enjoying a six-game winning streak that includes a sweep of the LA Dodgers.
Do the Red Sox continue to ride the momentum by keeping Monasterio in the mix? The chemistry is good, and Monasterio has been collecting extra-base hits at a decent rate as of late. His defense at the shortstop position is below average for an everyday shortstop at the big league level.
The 29-year-old is batting .263 with six home runs. He has been the steadying force at the position and has been the most frequently used shortstop since the Red Sox took off on a torrid pace at the beginning of July. Prior to that, he was splitting time with Tsung-Che Cheng before he was optioned back to Worcester July 27th.
Trevor Story, who has been on the IL since May 16, is expected to return at some point in mid-August to early September. In 165 at-bats this season, Story only hit .206 AVG with a .244 OBP. Story did manage three homers before hitting the IL with a sports hernia.
With Story in the lineup, he does provide a serious home run threat from the right side of the plate. A team that largely has struggled to hit home runs, despite a recent uptick in long balls, could see the power potential as a major bonus despite the high swing-and-miss rate of the veteran. Story also has a strikeout rate of 32.4%.
Arias is regarded as an elite-level defensive prospect. He would provide not only a huge defensive upgrade over Monasterio but also a player who puts the ball in play more often than not with a strikeout rate of only 14.2% this season in the minor leagues.
If Boston believes he can handle the challenge, promoting Arias would not simply be about giving a young player an opportunity late in the season. It would be more than just trying to find a long-term solution at a premier position. It would be about believing the 20-year-old future star gives this year's Red Sox team the best possible chance to win not only the American League but the ultimate goal of a World Series championship.
Of course, patience remains important.
The Red Sox have built one of the deepest farm systems in baseball by allowing their top prospects to develop properly. Rushing a player before he is ready to compete against big league pitching can create unnecessary setbacks. Remember the Kristian Campbell whirlwind.
But sometimes, elite talent forces a team's hand to take a chance on an elite prospect.
The decision not to add a shortstop at the deadline was a surprising one. In previous years, even previous months this season, we would be quick to question what Craig Breslow is thinking. Given the recent success of the team and the contributions from key players added to the roster by Breslow, it stands to reason to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he and the remainder of the front office have a plan going forward.
The show-and-go Sox have played themselves back into postseason contention regardless of who has been manning the shortstop position. It remains as much of a question now as it did prior to the deadline about who will be the shortstop in Boston when the postseason rolls around: Monasterio, Story, or young stud Franklin Arias.
Franklin Arias may not have been the deadline acquisition Red Sox fans were expecting, but he might be the final piece to the puzzle for a World Series run.
