The Boston Red Sox/New York Yankees arms race may return to vogue this winter. The Red Sox have been quiet over the last few offseasons, making minor moves while rebuilding a dormant farm system.
Now, after remaining in the hunt for the services of free-agent Juan Soto until the end, it appears the Sox are back in play. The Yankees, fresh off a World Series loss and the loss of Soto, have already fast-tracked their recovery with a major free agent signing and a few trades. Let the games begin!
The first major trade possibility came down last week as the Garrett Crochet Sweepstakes went in favor of the Red Sox. The Sox parted with some key pieces in the deal but now have an ace at the top of the rotation.
Crochet, just 25 years old, would qualify as a frontline starter. He finished 6-12 with the hapless White Sox in 2024 in 32 starts, his first full year as a starting pitcher. He also struck out 209 batters in just 146 innings of work. MLB insider Joel Sherman also sees the trade as a sign that the Red Sox are finally back in the race.
“The Red Sox can’t keep promising their fans Paris and giving them Poughkeepsie,” Sherman said on MLB Network. “At some point, you’ve got to do better than that, and this is the beginning of you moving toward Paris. At least you can see it. You can see the Eiffel Tower in the distance. But you can’t stop now.”
Red Sox need to catch up to Yankees as they both recover from whiffing on Juan Soto
The Yankees jumpstarted the Red Sox just a day earlier by signing former Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried to an eight-year deal worth over $218 million. The Yankees quickly countered the loss of Soto by bolstering their rotation — Fried and Gerrit Cole will be a deadly one-two punch to lead their staff.
New York wasn't done, however. Mere days after they acquired Fried, the Yankees traded for one of the best closers in baseball. They sent starter Nestor Cortes and a minor leaguer to the Brewers for closer Devin Williams. On Dec. 17, they acquired Cody Bellinger from the Cubs to bring some life back to their outfield after Soto's departure.
The ball is now back in the Red Sox's court as the two long-time AL East rivals battle in the trade and free agent market this offseason. Boston has several possible deals in the mix and several tradeable assets. The Sox have former first-round pick Marcelo Mayer possibly available, as well as current big league roster players like Triston Casas and Wilyer Abreu that they can use in a deal for another starter — the Mariners' Luis Castillo comes to mind. Boston has more than enough money to add a key bat in free-agency like Teoscar Hernández or Alex Bregman.
The improvement of the Red Sox farm system and a willingness to spend now puts them in a position to make the next move in this Yankees/Red Sox race back to the top. The Sox need to act fast and with conviction. Much like Boston, New York is now desperate and will certainly continue to make moves to strengthen its roster. Buckle up, baseball fans, baseball’s best rivalry is heating up again.