After acquiring left-handed ace from the Boston Red Sox remain active in their search for starting pitching. They were reportedly interested in Max Fried and Blake Snell before Fried signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Snell joined the New York Yankees. The Red Sox have also been connected to free agent Corbin Burnes, though the level of interest seems to vary. However, their focus may now be shifting to another free agent starter, this time from Baltimore.
“Have heard the Red Sox have had some talks with John Means, who is a free agent,” Chris Cotillo of MassLive shared on Twitter. While Means is not on the same level as Fried or Burnes, Boston appears to be aiming to strengthen the middle of its rotation, with Crochet likely anchoring the top. Still, Means comes with significant concerns.
The 31-year-old hasn’t pitched a full season since 2021, when he posted a 3.26 ERA across 26 starts with a 134-to-26 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He made just two starts in 2022 before undergoing Tommy John surgery, missing the rest of the season. Means returned in 2023 but managed only 23 2/3 innings. Hopes for a bounce-back season in 2024 were dashed when he underwent another Tommy John surgery in May.
Though the Red Sox are reluctant to meet Corbin Burnes’ likely price tag, Means’ history of repeated injuries presents its own risks. Boston has learned from costly experiences with rehabbing pitchers like Chris Sale and Lucas Giolito, and they may hesitate to take on another such gamble. While the Red Sox clearly need starting pitching, the shrinking free-agent market adds pressure to their decision-making.
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