Every time he’s spoken publicly this offseason, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has extolled the significance of bolstering the membership’s beginning rotation. And not only for this season, however for a few years to return.
Translation, he’s not searching for a one-year rental, however an up-and-comer who gives a number of years of crew management.
Trading for that sort of younger standout can be the largest transfer the franchise might presumably make, however getting a deal completed gained’t be simple. Acquiring anybody like that will be pricey, probably necessitating at the least one in all Boston’s prime younger gamers — Triston Casas, Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel — plus much more on prime of that.
But if Breslow had been to swing a franchise-altering blockbuster, who might he truly get? There aren’t that many younger, controllable beginning pitchers on the market who’d actually transfer the needle, but when the Red Sox had been to make the leap, listed here are just a few arms who is likely to be well worth the value.
Jesus Luzardo
One of the names most continuously bandied as a possible Red Sox commerce goal is Luzardo, a Miami Marlins lefty. Luzardo is amongst a handful of proficient younger arms within the Marlins rotation. The 26-year-old from Peru debuted in Oakland in 2019 and final season loved a breakout marketing campaign, posting a 3.58 ERA with 208 strikeouts over 178.2 innings. He additionally boasts among the finest fastballs within the sport and has been on an upwards trajectory ever since coming to Miami within the Starling Marte commerce in 2021.
Luzardo would instantly slot in on the entrance of Boston’s rotation and has three seasons of crew management remaining earlier than hitting free company forward of the 2027 season. Theoretically, Boston and Miami match up effectively as commerce companions too, on condition that the Marlins have a plethora of younger pitching however much less in the way in which of place participant expertise, which the Red Sox have in abundance.
Other Marlins pitchers the Red Sox might goal embody Braxton Garrett (3.66 ERA, 159.2 innings) and Edward Cabrera (4.24, 99.2), although if the Red Sox wished to get actually bold they may take a shot at 20-year-old wunderkind Eury Perez as effectively.
George Kirby
The different crew generally linked to Boston as a possible commerce accomplice is Seattle, and Kirby can be the obvious goal.
The 25-year-old righty got here up as one of many prime prospects in baseball and has shortly lived as much as the hype, posting a 3.37 ERA over 320.2 innings in his first two MLB seasons. Last yr he threw 190.2 innings and boasted the very best stroll price within the majors, and in accordance with Statcast he additionally has a dominant fastball, a superb breaking ball and is usually pitching at an elite stage throughout the board.
Because he’s each a yr youthful than Luzardo and has 5 years of crew management remaining, Kirby would probably be much more costly to accumulate. If he turned out to be merely unattainable, the Red Sox might additionally make a pitch for fellow Mariners righty Logan Gilbert (3.73, 190.2).
Dylan Cease
Cease is thought to be the very best pitcher who may truly be on the commerce block this winter, and whereas the White Sox are reportedly asking for an arm and a leg for the righty, he’d most likely be extra attainable than any of the Marlins or Mariners’ pitchers.
One, Cease is somewhat bit older at 28 and solely gives two extra seasons of crew management versus three-plus. He’s additionally coming off a little bit of a down season, posting a 4.58 ERA in 2023 after ending second within the AL Cy Young vote in 2022 with a 2.20 ERA.
Still, Cease has been each sturdy and overpowering all through his profession, topping 165 innings and 214 strikeouts in every of his final three seasons. He has not missed a begin since becoming a member of Chicago’s rotation full-time in 2020, and if he got here to Boston he would instantly slot in as a clear-cut No. 1 for the Red Sox. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic additionally reported Friday that Boston is among the many groups in on Cease, in order that might be value watching within the coming weeks.
Logan Allen
Cleveland hasn’t been mentioned as a possible Red Sox buying and selling accomplice to the identical extent because the aforementioned golf equipment, however the Guardians are loaded with younger pitching expertise too.
One arm particularly who would make sense for the Red Sox is Allen, who simply accomplished a powerful rookie season wherein he posted a 3.81 ERA over 125.1 innings after beginning the yr in Triple-A. The 25-year-old lefty nonetheless has a full six years of crew management remaining, making him a extra wise goal than Shane Bieber (a one-year rental) and a extra attainable one than Tanner Bibee, the guy Guardians rookie who completed second within the AL Rookie of the Year vote.
Josiah Gray
Gray was one of many prospects Washington obtained again within the Max Scherzer/Trea Turner commerce, and final season the righty took an enormous step in the direction of establishing himself because the Nationals’ ace.
After an up-and-down 2022 wherein he led the National League in dwelling runs and walks allowed, Gray was way more efficient in 2023, driving his ERA down to three.91 from 5.02 whereas throwing a career-high 159 innings. He’s all the time had a superb breaking ball, however this previous yr his general metrics took an enormous leap ahead. It’s affordable to think about he’ll proceed to enhance with expertise.
The 25-year-old nonetheless has 4 years of crew management remaining, so on paper it wouldn’t make lots of sense for the rebuilding Nationals to present him up. That being stated, Washington continues to be a great distance from rivalry in a brutal NL East, so if they will flip Gray for much more premium expertise it’s not inconceivable to think about them taking Breslow’s name.
Source: www.bostonherald.com