Red Sox Senior VP Frank Wren scouting for trade deadline help

The starters.

It’s possible the Red Sox are actually looking for a starting pitcher, given Eduardo Rodriguez’s unfortunate DL stint. Jake Odorizzi is, like Ryan Pressly, cost controlled for another year. That’s the bulk of his appeal, though. A 4.54 ERA is slightly better than his FIP and xFIP, so he appears to be essentially what his ERA says he is. But if Dave Dombrowski decides that filling in the rotation from the back end is the best they can do, Odorizzi can given them that much.

Lance Lynn is another option, but would be an example of buying into ceiling over current production. Lynn’s 3.43 ERA from 2017 was unsustainable given his .244 BABIP. But he’s likely better than the 5.22 ERA he has this season. Again, we’re not talking about a strong number two here, but filling in the back of the rotation should be something Lynn can provide.

Kyle Gibson is probably the most likely target here. He’s controllable for another year before he hits free agency for the first time, and he’s having a very strong season. In fact, he’d be a great replacement for the 2017 version of Drew Pomeranz that hasn’t materialized this season and will be hitting the market this winter. Gibson has a 3.57 ERA with a FIP and xFIP to match. He’s striking out almost a batter per nine and has a sustainable BABIP. And he’ll be going into a contract year next season. If the Red Sox are scouting for starting pitching, this is where I’d like to see them throw their chips.