Rosenthal: Red Sox might ‘complement’ Juan Soto signing with this blockbuster move
"The Sox’s biggest need is a top-of-the-rotation starter."
The 2025 Red Sox would be a far more dangerous team if Boston convinces Juan Soto to sign on the dotted line in the coming weeks.
But the presence of a slugger like Soto in the heart of Boston’s lineup for the foreseeable future likely isn’t enough to shore up the Red Sox’ roster deficiencies.
If the Red Sox want to punch their ticket to the playoffs in 2025 and beyond, they’re going to need to add to their pitching corps.
It’s a sentiment that longtime MLB insider Ken Rosenthal shared during his latest column in The Athletic on Monday.
While Rosenthal noted that the Red Sox are one of five “known Soto bidders” alongside the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and Blue Jays, he added that Boston needs to add at least one or two impact arms if they want to make a push for October baseball moving forward.
As such, Rosenthal noted that the Red Sox might want to pair a potential Soto signing with a deal for an ace at the top of their rotation.
“The Sox’s biggest need is a top-of-the-rotation starter,” Rosenthal wrote. “If they come away with Soto, they might prefer to complement him with a trade for the Chicago White Sox’s Garrett Crochet, who will earn a projected $2.9 million in arbitration and remain under club control through 2026.”
The Red Sox have been linked to Crochet for weeks now, with the White Sox reportedly fielding offers for the talented lefty.
The 25-year-old Crochet impressed in his first full season as a starter with Chicago in 2024, posting a 3.58 ERA over 32 appearances. He recorded 209 strikeouts over 146 innings of work (an impressive 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings) while only walking 33.
While a report from MassLive’s Sean McAdam in November noted that Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu might be the “headlining” piece in a Crochet trade, another proposed deal offered up by Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com tabbed Triston Casas and prospects Braden Montgomery, Yoeilin Cespedes, and David Sandlin as the return for the southpaw.
If the Red Sox find that Chicago’s asking price is too steep, Rosenthal added that the Red Sox could also look to add a pitcher in free agency.
“Wouldn’t the better flex be to hold their prospects and pursue Burnes or Fried? A Soto-[Corbin] Burnes combo, while probably unrealistic, certainly would meet the definition of “full throttle,” Rosenthal added.
Of course, it remains to be seen if the Red Sox will be the ones to sign Soto to a hefty contract.
If Soto signs elsewhere, Rosenthal added that Boston could pivot to a few other slugging options in free agency.
“At least two of the teams in the Soto sweepstakes, the Yankees and Red Sox, could turn their attention to free-agent infielders as part of a Plan B,” Rosenthal wrote. “As with the outfield market, the demand exceeds the supply, putting shortstop Willy Adames and third baseman Alex Bregman in excellent position.”
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