The 2025 Boston Red Sox once had heaps of pitching depth that had been run through by the season's end. Starters like Richard Fitts, Hunter Dobbins, Lucas Giolito and Dustin May were all placed on the injured list at some point this season and unavailable by the playoffs.
Boston's many injuries left Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and 23-year-old top prospect Connelly Early, who had made just four prior starts in the major leagues, to lead the charge in a push to the World Series. Crochet shoved, as expected, Alex Cora clearly didn't trust Bello to go deep into Game 2, and Early was let down by the Red Sox's shoddy defense.
Injuries are out of the team's control, but the Sox's need for a clear No. 2 starter felt clear all season (subscription required). During Boston's end of season press conference, Craig Breslow noted multiple times that improving the team is always the priority, but did not clarify the extent to which he would like to improve the rotation.
“No one will sit in this seat and say that there’s enough pitching in the organization. I think we’re saw that in the 2nd half…” Breslow said. "When we talk about pursuing opportunities to improve the team, bringing in pitching is certainly one of them."
Craig Breslow says Red Sox must improve rotation, but says 3 2025 players pitched like No. 2 starters
Breslow didn't commit to looking for another elite pitcher on the free agent or trade market, although it may be unwise to share exactly what the Red Sox are looking for with the free agency and trade markets so far away. Another one of his answers did not inspire confidence in the pursuit of a No. 2 starter.
“I think we wanna build the best rotation we possibly can. At times through the year, you could say Bello pitched like a number two, because he did. Giolito pitched like a number two, because he did. Or Connelly Early pitched like a number two, because he did,” Breslow said.
While Bello, Early and Giolito all had great moments this season, Bello lost a bit of his command toward the end of the season, Early is too young to be certain of his future, and Giolito is likely to decline his mutual option and take to the free agent market. Bello did not consistently pitch like a No. 2, and the other option Breslow listed will likely depart this offseason, which still leaves the Red Sox in need of a clear No. 2 starter.
The Red Sox have previously been interested in trading for Dylan Cease (who isn't exactly a clear No. 2 starter) and Joe Ryan. Either pitcher would help elevate the Sox's rotation and Ryan, in particular, would be an ideal arm to play behind Crochet. Boston has more than enough money and prospect capital to improve its rotation by any means necessary, and not doing so would be a waste of Crochet's best years.