It's that time of year. Even though the playoffs are still ongoing for a couple more weeks, the looming offseason means it's time to project where the marquee free agents will land.
This year's free agent class projects to lack the upper echelon talent that previous years had, following Vlad Guerrero Jr's mega extension in Toronto. Kyle Tucker was projected to get a $400 million contract, but a down year has tempered expectations. This year's class will also be defined by players exercising opt-outs in their contracts. The focus this offseason will fall on the players who project to be the highest earners.
In Boston, it's setting up to be a busy offseason. The front office will need to clear the outfield logjam, figure out what is happening with Alex Bregman and Trevor Story, and bolster the starting rotation. The Red Sox also have money to spend following the trade of Rafael Devers and his $28.5 million per season. While Craig Breslow could look to kill two birds with one stone by trading one of the outfielders for a starting pitcher, they could also allocate some of their cash influx to the starting rotation as well.
Bleacher Report thinks that the Red Sox could splash some cash in the rotation. In an article trying to rank the best fits for Dylan Cease, Boston landed in 5th.
Bleacher Report names Red Sox as top-five option for free agent pitcher Dylan Cease
Dylan Cease was the only pitcher to strike out 200+ batters each year from 2021-24.
— MLB (@MLB) September 14, 2025
He just struck out his 200th batter of 2025 💪 https://t.co/cT7pvdrBlv pic.twitter.com/uvj1P8OETF
Cease, a righty who will be 30 on Opening Day, becomes a free agent following his worst season by bWAR (1.1) since his rookie season in 2019. A year removed from finishing fourth in the NL Cy Young award, he posted a 4.55 ERA across 32 starts and 168 IP. He still struck out 215 batters, reaching the 200 K mark for the fifth straight season, but his WHIP ballooned from 1.07 in 2024 to 1.33 in 2025.
Cease is going to be one of the most divisive free agents in a long time. He has ace stuff, shown off by his two top-four Cy Young finishes in 2022 and 2024. The problem is, in 2023 and 2025, he was a below-average pitcher by ERA+. He is very inconsistent, with very high highs but some low lows as well.
The Red Sox don't need Cease to be their No. 1; Garrett Crochet has that role. They are looking to raise the floor and ceiling of the rotation significantly. Next season's starting rotation will certainly include Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval likely makes it due to the financial commitment, and one of the rookies that debuted for the Sox this year will have the final spot. That doesn't factor in a reunion with Lucas Giolito, if there is one. While those are all quality options, they don't have the Cy Young upside that a Cease brings.
Cease, though, doesn't raise the floor of the rotation like other options could. He will make all his starts; he made 32+ starts a season for the last five years. Just cause he makes all his starts doesn't mean they are all amazing. This season, only eight of his 32 were Quality Starts (at least six innings, allowing three or fewer earned runs); in 2023, it was 12 of 33 starts.
Cease is likely to command a hefty contract. Bleacher Report compared his career to Aaron Nola's through their first six seasons, and Nola got a six-year, $172 million contract to resign in Philadelphia. If the Sox are truly interested, they are going to need to pony up significant money to get him, because some teams will look at Cease to be their ace, unlike the Sox.