Former World Series MVP Jeremy Peña is drawing some trade interest.
The Boston Red Sox would “love” to acquire the Houston Astros shortstop Peña ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Sunday. Nightengale notes that the Red Sox are in “dire need” of a right-handed bat.
Peña, 28, is a homegrown Astro who has been in the organization since they first drafted him back in 2018. He had developed into a Gold Glove winner at short by 2022 and also won both ALCS MVP and World Series MVP as Houston won it all later that year.
Last season for the Astros, Peña made the first All-Star team of his MLB career and hit .304 overall with 17 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. This season, Peña is batting .315 with nine home runs, 28 RBIs, and eight stolen bases (albeit over just 58 games due to hamstring and calf injuries).
With Peña at a relative buy-low point and Houston currently outside the playoff picture at 52-55, the time may be ripe for Boston to strike. The Red Sox currently own the second AL Wild Card spot at 54-50 themselves, and they have abruptly pivoted into buyers’ territory after a stunning recent 15-game winning streak.
We also know that Boston is very much in the market for a shortstop. If Houston intends to hold through the trade deadline on Peña, who can become a free agent after the 2027 campaign, there are multiple other interesting SS targets out there for the Red Sox as well.
