Red Sox Make 1st Trade of MLB Offseason, Latest Rumors on Deal with A's After World Series

Less than 24 hours after the World Series wrapped up, marking the end of the 2026 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox and Athletics made the first trade of the offseason.

Per USA Today 's Bob Nightengale , the Red Sox are trading veteran outfielder Nate Eaton to the Athletics.

Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com added Boston will receive a minor leaguer back in the deal.

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Eaton even reaching the big leagues was a huge success story for someone who was a 21st-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in the 2018 draft.

It took until 2022 for Eaton to make his MLB debut with the Royals. He showed promise with a .264/.331/.387 slash line in 44 games as a rookie, earning a spot on the 26-man roster to start 2023.

After struggling to start the season, Kansas City demoted Eaton to Triple-A where he played for the rest of 2023 and '24. He opted for free agency at the end of 2024 and signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox.

Eaton got an extended look in Boston during the 2025 season. He hit .296/.348/.383 in 41 games and made the postseason roster, starting the first two games of the AL Wild Card series against the New York Yankees.

He spent most of 2026 in the minors, though he did once again finish the year with the MLB club and started Game 2 against the Yankees in the wild-card round.

Eaton's ability to play all three outfield spots and third base will give the A's more flexibility with their roster. The 29-year-old will likely slot in as their fourth outfielder next season.

Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler and Henry Bolte are set to start in the outfield for an A's team looking to rebound after a disappointing 64-98 record this season.