Franklin Arias returns to WooSox after name popped up in trade rumors

WORCESTER — While Craig Breslow traded his club’s current top two pitching prospects and a former top infield prospect ahead of the MLB trade deadline on Monday, the Red Sox chief baseball officer did not ship out his organization’s No. 1 prospect.

Franklin Arias, ranked as the Red Sox’ top prospect and the No. 7 prospect in baseball (according to MLB.com), returned to Polar Park on Tuesday to play for Triple-A Worcester after his name swirled around in trade rumors over the past week.

Despite Breslow dealing top pitching prospects Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon (and others for Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman), and former first-round pick and infielder Marcelo Mayer (to San Francisco Giants for pitcher Erik Miller), Breslow kept Arias in the system as the likely heir apparent at shortstop for the Boston Red Sox.

“I hate to put those types of expectations on a 20-year-old,” Breslow said via a Zoom call with reporters on Monday. “What I am very excited to say is that every challenge that he has faced, he’s met, which is pretty incredible for someone his age and what he’s done at each level.”

Asked whether Arias could help Boston down the stretch this season, Breslow balked a bit but didn’t entirely shut down the possibility.

“I just feel like we’ll continue to take note of what he’s doing,” Breslow said. “We’ll continue to put him in the best development environment that we can, and if he is the person who can help us, then we’ll have that conversation when it comes time.”

Since being promoted to Triple-A Worcester on July 24, Arias played seven games for the WooSox ahead of their contest Tuesday at Polar Park.

The 20-year-old infielder, who has played both shortstop and second base for Worcester, is slashing .233 with 2 HR, 7 RBIs and a .814 OPS across 30 at-bats in AAA. On Tuesday, Arias started at shortstop and hit leadoff for the WooSox — and extended his hit streak to six straight games with an infield single in the first inning.

After going 0 for 8 in his first two games, Arias was 7 for 33 (.318) with six RBIs in his next five games. And according to legendary sportswriter Bill Ballou, Arias is the second-youngest player in WooSox history after Roman Anthony (who was 20 years, 91 days old) to debut in Triple-A Worcester history. Arias was 20 and 248 days when he made his WooSox debut last homestand.

Following a week of seeing his name in trade rumors, Arias was happy to return to Worcester.

“Trying not to let it affect me personally,” Arias said through translator Juan Montero. “It’s something that’s part of the game and I just want to play the game and enjoy it as much as I can and not trying to think about it.”

With Arias’ recent rise through the Red Sox farm system, it’s fair to assume that Breslow and Red Sox brass felt the freedom to trade away their former heir apparent at shortstop in Mayer.

Caught up with Franklin Arias today after his first seven games with the WooSox.

Here is the Boston Red Sox’ No. 1 prospect talking (with the help of translator Juan Montero) about his first week-plus in AAA, what he thinks about playing second base and staying with the… pic.twitter.com/7awCuMf7Hp

— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) August 4, 2026

Boston’s first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft, Mayer was promoted from Triple-A Worcester to Boston on May 24, 2025. Across 332 at-bats with the Red Sox, Mayer hit .223 with 7 HR, 32 RBIs and a .624 OPS but struggled to stay on the field due to wrist and forearm injuries.

Mayer was traded on Monday for a relief pitcher from the Giants.

“I still think he’s an incredibly talented player,” Breslow said of Mayer on his Zoom call. “… In no way is this an indictment of Marcelo.”

Still, even a year ago, Mayer was listed as the No. 12 prospect in baseball by MLB.com and seen as the Red Sox’ shortstop of the future.

Now, that title belongs to Arias, who returned to Worcester this week after his named swirled around during a hectic trade deadline for Breslow and the Red Sox.

“I’m just enjoying the time that I’m having here,” Arias said. “Just trying to enjoy the game as much as I can and not trying to think about it and when (a possible call up to Boston) comes. I just want to enjoy it.”

—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Franklin Arias returns to WooSox after name popped up in trade rumors