Red Sox are looking to add a starting pitcher at the deadline, insider says
Several names, including a former Red Sox starter, fit the Red Sox' needs at the deadline.
The Boston Red Sox are looking to acquire a starting pitcher at this year’s MLB Trade Deadline, per The Athletic’s Jim Bowden.
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After starting the season with seven quality starting arms, the Red Sox rotation has undergone significant turmoil by the season’s halfway point. Corey Kluber and Nick Pivetta have been demoted to the bullpen. Garrett Whitlock, Chris Sale and Tanner Houck are on the IL. The only three rotation arms that remain are Brayan Bello, James Paxton and Kutter Crawford. Even then, Paxton has missed time to start the year and Crawford started the season in the bullpen.
Red Sox CBO Chaim Bloom is vocal about his desire for pitching, but knows that he has competition.
“You got 30 clubs out there looking for pitching,” Bloom told Bowden and Jim Duquette. “It’s definitely something that’s on our radar.”
Bloom emphasized the importance of pitching depth to counter the unpredictability of performance and injuries within a starting rotation. This season reflects Bloom’s philosophy, as the Red Sox started the year with a surplus of starting pitching and are now at a deficit.
According to Bloom, it’s natural for the rotation at the beginning of March to look different once September ends.
“The expectation is we’re going to look up in September-October and [the rotation]’s probably going to look a little different,” Bloom said, “so you want to make that group as thick as you can.”
Notable pitchers on the trade market include Seth Lugo, Michael Lorenzen, Jordan Montgomery, and Jack Flaherty. Boston could choose to spend and go for some highly-coveted names on the market, including Blake Snell and Lucas Giolito. They could even consider a reunion with Detroit’s Eduardo Rodriguez.
In addition, Bowden says that the Red Sox could use a left-handed hitter at middle infield. The Red Sox’ middle infield depth has had the opposite transformation their rotation has since the beginning of the season.
The Red Sox started the season with star shortstop Trevor Story on the IL, leaving Christian Arroyo at second base and Kiké Hernandez at short. But over time, their depth grew. Backup shortstop Yu Chang’s defense became important, especially after Hernandez struggled in his new position. Infielders Enmanuel Valdez and David Hamilton were called up from Worcester and immediately contributed with their bat and speed respectively. And when Arroyo and Chang went down with injuries, the Red Sox traded for infielder Pablo Reyes to fill those spots, but he performed well enough to be considered more than just a depth piece.
On paper, it would make sense to acquire a left-handed middle infielder for lineup versatility. Among the middle infielders on Boston’s 40-man roster, only Valdez and Hamilton bat lefty. But can the Red Sox afford to add at the position?
Valdez and Hamilton are staying in Worcester for now because none of Hernandez, Arroyo, Chang or Reyes have options remaining. Story and Reyes are both on rehab assignments, and at least Story will return to the big-league club. At least one middle infielder will not be in Boston for much longer.
Regardless of what the Red Sox do, they could have an interesting trade deadline ahead of them as they look to compete for a wild card spot in October.
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