The Boston Red Sox will search for rotation reinforcements this winter via free agency and trade. Boston's lack of homegrown pitching has forced it back into the market, as it seems to be every winter.
The Sox have already been linked to their fair share of arms, and they could acquire more than one to really shore up their rotation — an ace and a No. 2 or 3 would be ideal. Boston has a solid foundation to build on in the rotation, with Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito as quality backend options.
MLB insider Jim Bowden has named the Red Sox as one of a few possible fits for righty Luis Severino. The 30-year-old posted a bounce-back season with the Mets after he departed the Yankees organization on a sour note in 2023.
Severino posted a 3.91 ERA with 161 strikeouts and 60 walks over 182 innings with the Mets last season. In 2023, his last of eight years in the Yankees organization, Severino clocked a 6.65 ERA over just 89.1 innings due to multiple injuries. Besides his rebound season, the righty also increased his stock after the Mets' unlikely playoff run, during which he posted a 3.24 ERA in 16.2 innings.
Red Sox named as fit for former Yankees ace, 2024 Met Luis Severino
On @Honda SportsNite, @NikiLattarulo, @John_Jastremski & @CLoprestiWFAN discuss what David Stearns' offseason pitching plan should be and the potential market for Luis Severino if he declines his qualifying offer https://t.co/SyUgmiSv1y pic.twitter.com/KeaEiZF3rR
— SNY (@SNYtv) November 5, 2024
New York considered his year's work worthy of a qualifying offer. He has until Nov. 19 to accept or decline the one-year, $21.05 million deal to stay in Queens for another campaign. If he declines, he'll hit free agency, where Bowden expects him to catch a two or three-year deal.
Severino does have some durability questions. He's pitched less than 90 innings in five of his nine seasons in MLB. However, his 2017 slate was split evenly between the rotation and the bullpen. He's posted 909.1 frames over his career, and his 182 innings pitched for the Mets are the third-most he's ever posted in a year.
The Red Sox need an ace more than anything, but Severino could be a solid later-rotation arm and veteran presence among Boston's relatively inexperienced pitching staff. Severino is on the middle to lower tier of pitching talent available this offseason, so the Sox may be able to sign him for a reasonable price if he declines the Mets' qualifying offer.