Red Sox

Red Sox trade for shortstop Adalberto Mondesi in deal with Royals

Boston sends left-handed pitcher Josh Taylor to Kansas City in exchange.

Adalberto Mondesi playing for the Royals in 2021. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

January 24, 2023

The Red Sox have acquired shortstop Adalberto Mondesi in a trade with the Royals, adding another piece to help offset the loss of Xander Bogaerts’s free agent departure.

Mondesi, 27, is headed to Boston in exchange for left-handed relief pitcher Josh Taylor, according to a team announcement. Boston will get a player to be named later or cash considerations in addition to Mondesi.

The #RedSox today acquired INF Adalberto Mondesi and a player to be named later or cash considerations from the Kansas City Royals, in exchange for LHP Josh Taylor.
— Red Sox (@RedSox) January 24, 2023

Having played the entirety of his career with the Royals, Mondesi has shown flashes of talent at times. He became the first player in modern baseball history to make his MLB debut in the World Series (which Kansas City won in 2015).

In his 2019 season, the only time he has played more than 100 games in a year, Mondesi stole 43 bases and hit 10 triples.

Scoring from 2nd on a wild pitch? Adalberto Mondesi can FLY. pic.twitter.com/lAf0W6Q9DB
— MLB (@MLB) April 24, 2019

He has also battled injuries, including playing in just 15 games in 2022 after tearing his ACL in April.

Mondesi, whose father Raul was also an MLB player and was the 1994 National League Rookie of the Year with the Dodgers, could help the Red Sox following Bogaerts’s departure to the Padres. Mondesi has one year remaining on his contract worth $3.045 million.

And while he’s been used primarily as a shortstop, Mondesi has also played both second and third base at the Major League level.