The Boston Red Sox entered the All-Star break on a high note — the highest of their season so far. They're 11 games above .500 and 4.5 games out of first place in the American League East. Not to mention, Craig Breslow recently offered his most positive assessment of the team to date.
Boston's new chief baseball officer said the front office should look for "opportunities for us to improve the club." When discussing potential trade deadline plans, Breslow has highlighted adding a starter as an area of importance for the Sox. MLB insider Jon Heyman revealed a potential blockbuster target.
Heyman stated that there is a small chance that the Detroit Tigers would be willing to trade their hottest starter, Tarik Skubal, in a New York Post article from July 11. He placed the odds around 11%.
Fellow MLB insider Jeff Passan later shot down any possibility that Skubal may be traded. But Red Sox Nation has taken to optimism lately, and if he's available, Boston should absolutely make an offer.
The Red Sox should make a longshot bid for Tigers ace, All-Star Tarik Skubal
TARIK. SKUBAL.
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 7, 2024
🚨 New career-high 13 strikeouts 🚨 pic.twitter.com/D6K8Pb4kmk
Skubal has logged a 2.41 ERA and an outstanding 140 strikeouts through 116 innings with Detroit. He's only issued 21 free passes this season and owns the second-best WHIP in MLB at 0.88. He's left-handed, which would be a necessary change of pace in the Red Sox's all-righty rotation.
Skubal is just 27 years old and has two more years of team control on his contract, so it will take an impressive haul of prospects to entice Detroit into a trade. But Boston has one of the better farm systems in the league, and could attempt a blockbuster deal before the July 30 trade deadline.
Breslow is likely trying to make a good impression on Red Sox Nation in his first season as CBO, and trading for Skubal would certainly qualify as one of the Sox's most impressive trade deadline moves in years. The odds the lefty is moved are slim to none, but Skubal's arm, or a similar one, could be the final push the Red Sox need to get into the postseason (and it would set them up beautifully for 2025 and 2026).