The Boston Red Sox are in the midst of a nightmare 2026 season. With an 18-25 record, they're sitting 10.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East, and the warning signs are flashing bright. After already making the tough call to fire manager Alex Cora, the front office now faces a critical question: buy or sell at the trade deadline?

According to Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, the Red Sox could still be buyers—but only if they address their biggest weakness: a struggling offense. "At 3.8 runs and 0.7 home runs per game, the Red Sox have had one of the least intimidating offenses in all of baseball," Miller writes. His suggestion? Time to revisit those offseason talks about Isaac Paredes.

Here's where the story gets interesting—and a little painful for Boston fans. The Red Sox were linked to Paredes last winter, but instead opted to trade for Caleb Durbin. That decision is looking like a major swing and miss from chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.

Durbin has been a major disappointment, hitting just .172 with one home run, 14 RBIs, and a .509 OPS over 41 games. Meanwhile, Paredes—now with the Houston Astros—is batting .255 with a .711 OPS, three homers, and 17 RBIs. He's an above-average hitter at a position where the Red Sox desperately need production.

To make matters worse, Kyle Harrison—who was sent to the Milwaukee Brewers in the Durbin trade—has looked sharp since leaving Boston. It's a trade that's aging poorly, and one that Breslow would likely love to have back.

As the trade deadline approaches, the Red Sox might have another chance to land Paredes. But this time, they can't afford to miss.