The Boston Red Sox's seemingly ever-present need for starting pitching has endured into the 2024-25 offseason, despite promising campaigns from their preexisting hurlers.
Starting pitching is often a point of emphasis in the Red Sox's free agency search. They haven't competed for a frontline starter in quite some time, to the point that they're rarely taken seriously as contenders anymore. Boston's current pursuit of Juan Soto and plenty of other rumors may change that perception this winter, though.
Comments from Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow from November's general manager meetings add fuel to the fire that they're gunning for change this offseason. He said the Sox "need to raise the ceiling of the rotation,” which (hopefully) implies significant change in the form of elite additions.
Boston has been linked to some of the best pitchers available on the free agent and trade market, like Corbin Burnes, Max Fried and Garrett Crochet, to name a few. Any of them would improve the Red Sox's pitching staff, but Burnes and Fried's years of experience would bring the rotation to another level.
Craig Breslow hopes to 'raise the ceiling' of the Red Sox rotation, hopefully by signing elite arms
Craig Breslow, Sam Kennedy Discuss Red Sox' Offseason https://t.co/UYk5R8VqUH pic.twitter.com/68Za8cXhBg
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) October 7, 2024
The Sox's rotation is already quite packed for 2025, though, so internal changes will need to be made to incorporate any new arms into the mix. Houck, Crawford, Bello, Lucas Gioltio, Garrett Whitlock and potential qualifying offer recipient Nick Pivetta could all be up for rotation slots next year, but having all the same pitchers as before doesn't equate to " the ceiling of the rotation," as Breslow hopes.
Fried's left-handedness makes him the ideal target for Boston, but any of the available elite starters would be a much-needed boost to its rotation, which features multiple young arms yet to reach their prime. Houck may be close and Bello is well on his way, but learning from an experienced ace could help them get there faster.
Hopefully, the Red Sox's investment in Soto's market and their connection to plenty of aces bodes well for their offseason budget. Fenway Sports Group has plenty of money to spend to bolster the rotation and could even afford a few aces, if it wanted. This year's class of free agent pitchers is impressive, and Boston should capitalize to avoid falling even further out of favor with its fanbase.