Red Sox rumors: Reunion with a rotation mainstay could be in the making

As the Boston Red Sox begin to peruse free agency for upgrades to their existing roster, one familiar name has emerged as a potential target.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Red Sox are among several teams interested in veteran starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez.

Red Sox rumored to be interested in Eduardo Rodriguez

Rodriguez, 30, recently opted out of his Tigers contract in hopes of finding a more lucrative deal. The southpaw spent his first six big-league seasons with the Red Sox before joining Detroit prior to the 2022 campaign.

In 2023, Rodriguez went 13-9 with a 3.66 FIP, 8.43 K/9, and 2.83 BB/9. He also delivered the lowest home run marks of his career (0.88 HR/9 and 9.7 percent HR/FB). Hitting free agency for the second time gives Rodriguez a chance to cash in on his strong year.

What could a potential contract look like and which teams might try to outbid the Red Sox? Here’s what Heyman offered on the entire ordeal:

"Rodriguez could double the $49M he opted out of, and the Cardinals, Red Sox and Phillies look like possible contenders there."

- Jon Heyman

Would the Red Sox really be willing to hand out nearly $100 million to Rodriguez? That remains to be seen. It likely depends on whether new President of Baseball Operations Craig Breslow thinks he can sign one of the upper-tier starters like Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery, Blake Snell, or Yoshinobu Yamamoto. If not, Rodriguez is a very appealing (and significantly cheaper) fallback option who could still make an impact in the top half of Boston’s rotation.

Rodriguez represents just one of many potential targets for Boston as the organization embarks on its next chapter. With MLB free agency underway and rumors continuing to circulate, Red Sox fans are excited to see what Breslow and his front office cook up.