The Boston Red Sox went into the All-Star break scorching hot, winning ten games in a row, and soaring into a postseason spot in the Wild Card.
Their momentum should indicate the team is looking to buy at this year’s MLB trade deadline, and according to Jen McCaffrey in The Athletic, Boston has a clear top need at the deadline.
“With Hunter Dobbins out for the year and the Red Sox seemingly still uncertain about Tanner Houck’s role,” McCaffrey writes, “Adding a starter has become even more of a priority.”
Boston need to add a pitcher, but what type of pitcher is also important? They could look to add a bottom-of-the-rotation piece, or they could look to swing for the fences and land a top starter on the market. It seems more likely t be the latter.
“The team would like to add a No. 2 starter to slide between Crochet and Bryan Bello,” McCaffrey writes, “If they can find one for the right package, an admittedly tricky proposition at the deadline versus over the winter.”
Across baseball, a few teams are looking to add starting pitching at the deadline. The Chicago Cubs and the Red Sox are two teams in dire need of starter help, and their interest, combined with substantial assets, will likely increase the price of the top pitchers on the market.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow will look to land a starter, ideally one who could slide into the rotation behind Garrett Crochet and ahead of Bello. There are a few names to monitor with the deadline approaching.
Mitch Keller, Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera, Joe Ryan, Merrill Kelly, and Zac Gallen are some of the best names available on the market. While not all will be moved, these six are the best pitchers for the Red Sox to target as a new number two starter.
Regardless of who Boston ends up with, they will be vying for the top pitchers on the trade market this July. With two weeks until the trade deadline, the front office will be busy working the phones to land a high-profile starter to pair with Crochet atop the rotation for a postseason push in 2025.