The Boston Red Sox have already signaled their intent to overhaul their starting rotation this offseason.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made a bold move by trading four prospects to the Chicago White Sox for Garrett Crochet. Additionally, the team aggressively pursued free agent Max Fried, reportedly offering the left-hander a seven-year, $190 million contract. However, Fried opted for an eight-year, $218 million deal with the New York Yankees.
Fried’s pursuit, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, highlights Boston’s willingness to make significant investments in top-tier pitching talent. Speier noted on NESN’s “310 To Left” podcast that the Red Sox likely aren’t done improving their rotation.
“That shows they’re ready to spend big on high-end pitching talent,” Speier said. “I’d be surprised if the Red Sox didn’t bring in another starter who they believe could fill at least a mid-rotation role or better.”
While acquiring Corbin Burnes would be a game-changer for Boston, Speier pointed out another intriguing option who could meet the team’s minimum target.
“Walker Buehler seems to be the floor of what they’re looking for the rest of this offseason,” Speier explained. “Buehler has been a top-of-the-rotation pitcher in the past, but after returning from Tommy John surgery in 2024, he struggled and was more of a back-end option for the Dodgers. However, he finished the season strong, delivering some of the most memorable performances of his career during the playoffs and World Series.”
The Red Sox have reportedly expressed interest in Buehler, who boasts a career record of 47-22 with a 3.27 ERA and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings across seven seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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