Reds could be swayed by this game-changing Red Sox trade package for Hunter Greene

The MLB offseason hasn't even officially begun, and the Cincinnati Reds are already wrapped up in trade rumors. Surprisingly, Hunter Greene's name has suddenly emerged as a potential trade candidate this offseason, and there'll be no shortage of suitors if the Reds ace becomes available this winter. One of the most likely teams to inquire about Green'e availability is sure to be the Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox, much like the Reds, weren't exactly picked to finish atop their division this past season. But Boston rallied during the second-half and found their way into the postseason, only to be ousted by the AL East nemesis, the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Series.

Boston will need to fortify their starting rotation in order to get back to the mountaintop, and trading for Greene would certainly help. The Red Sox just so happen to have an abundance of outfielders on their active roster — something the Reds are likely in search of this winter.

A Red Sox trade package featuring Jarren Duran could tempt the Reds to trade Hunter Greene

While the Cincinnati faithful would surely love to see Roman Anthony in a Reds uniform, there's no way Boston will trade their blossoming star. Both Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, however, could be put on the trade block this offseason, and the former would seem like a better fit for the Reds.

Duran had a down-year for Boston in 2025 after back-to-back seasons with an OPS above .820. But the 29-year-old was still worth nearly 4.0 fWAR and is under team control through the 2028 season. Just one year ago, Duran led the league in doubles and triples, though playing half of his games at Fenway Park certainly helped in that regard.

Duran alone, however, won't do the trick. If opposing GMs are serious about trading for Greene, who's signed to an extremely inexpensive deal for the next four seasons, they're going to have to overpay. That's where Payton Tolle comes in. The Red Sox No. 2-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline made his big league debut near the end of the 2025 season.

Tolle showed off his 97 mph heater that he pairs with an 89 mph cutter. He also mixes in three other pitches (changeup, curveball, and slider). The lefty is a strikeout machine (36.5% strikeout rate in the minors last season) and is still considered a rookie heading into 2026. Though trading Greene would definitely hurt the Reds starting rotation next season, having Tolle in the wings would help to offset the loss.

Finally, in order to make this trade work, Cincinnati would need one more piece to make it worth their while. Brandon Clarke was Boston's fifth-round draft pick just over a year ago. Though he's dealt with injuries in the past, the southpaw has a fastball that touches triple digits with a fall-off-the-plate slider. At just 22 years old, Clarke a lot of untapped talent that Reds' Director of Pitching Derek Johnson would love to unlock.

Most Reds fans don't want to think about trading Greene, but where there's smoke, there's fire. At least two prominent Reds beat reporters have tossed around the idea, and Cincinnati's front office has yet to fully refute those reports. Greene is arguably the Reds' best asset, and they'd be foolish to not at least listen — especially if the Red Sox came calling with this type of offer.