Red Sox ‘shopping’ catcher Connor Wong in trade calls

The Boston Red Sox have not yet decided whether they will be buyers or sellers at this trade deadline, as is the case for most American League teams.

But discussions involving multiple Red Sox players are said to be taking place, according to The athleteC Jane McCaffrey.

One of the players on the trade block is said to be catcher Connor Wong, McCaffrey heard from a source.

Wong, who has fallen to the bottom of the Boston totem pole in recent weeks, has not hit a home run since 2024. He is batting .264 on the year, a huge improvement from his .190 mark last season.

But his .375 slugging percentage is a testament to his complete lack of power over the past two years.

Behind the plate, Wong has been serviceable, but has not shown significant improvement since his 2021 debut. Baseball Savantmany of the 30-year-old catcher’s defensive statistics are below league average, including -2 caught runs and -2 framing statistics.

The broken pinky finger that Wong suffered in 2025 could still be a factor in his struggles more than a year later. Catching is tough on the body, but with better options in Mikey Jasper and Carlos Narvaez, it makes sense for the organization to try to deal Wong. He won’t become an unrestricted free agent until 2029, giving potential suitors financial flexibility.

Within McCaffrey’s report, I reported that teams are contacting the Red Sox about the availability of closer Aroldis Chapman and high-leverage relievers Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock.

But Boston told interested teams “no.”

“The Red Sox have said — at this time — they have no interest in dealing anyone from that trio,” McCaffrey wrote.

Whitlock was placed on the 15-day injured list with left knee inflammation on May 28. He played one inning on Saturday. Rehabilitation appearance With Worcester Red Sox.

Whitlock remains one of the best setup arms in all of MLB. It wouldn’t be a surprise if teams were interested in trading for the 29-year-old right-hander, who has a 1.11 WHIP over 19.2 innings. He struck out 25 batters compared to six walks in 20 games.

Chapman also has a hamstring injury, interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters after Friday’s win over the New York Yankees.

However, the 38-year-old flamethrower has been almost unhittable, which is par for the course in his career. Chapman has a 0.46 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over 20 appearances (19.2 innings). He walked nine men and struck out a batter, but his massive 33.8 strikeout percentage stands out.

Slatten, 28, missed a month with a right oblique strain earlier this season, but has been effective and dominant at times since his return in early May. The middle reliever has a 3.27 ERA and 1.18 WHIP (14 strikeouts to four walks) in 12 appearances.

Jarren Duran is another name that teams have continued to contact, ESPN’s Jeff Passan He said earlier this week. Passan noted that Boston and interested organizations value a player differently, which may be why he remains with the organization after trade rumors surfaced over the winter.

The trade deadline for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has been lackluster. It will be interesting to see what moves he makes in the major league, if any, before the August 3 deadline.

Callie Brown

Sports product

Callie Brown is a sports producer for Boston.com, where she covers the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox.