The 2026 That Could Have Been: Revisiting the Trade That Almost Was

Jeff Irving examines an alternate reality where the Arizona Diamondbacks accepted a reported trade proposal from the Boston Red Sox involving Ketel Marte. According to reports cited in the analysis, Boston offered pitching prospect Payton Tolle and infielder Franklin Arias for Marte, but Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen insisted on including Marcelo Mayer, leading the discussions to collapse.

Irving argues that completing the trade would have allowed Arizona to sign third baseman Alex Bregman rather than trading for Nolan Arenado and re-signing Zac Gallen. The writer estimates this alternate path would have added over four wins in 2026, saved roughly $10 million to $11 million, and added top-tier young talent to Arizona's organization.