One of the Boston Red Sox’s top priorities this offseason will be adding a top-tier starting pitcher.
Despite a strong overall performance from the pitching staff — finishing with a 3.70 ERA, fifth-best in the league, and allowing just 596 earned runs — the rotation lacks depth beyond a few standouts. Garrett Crochet has emerged as a legitimate ace, and Brayan Bello remains a solid option, but beyond them, the starting rotation is filled with uncertainty.
Lucas Giolito bounced back with a solid season but missed the playoffs due to an elbow injury and faces a mutual option with Boston. Meanwhile, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Hunter Dobbins, and Richard Fitts were all sidelined by injuries late in the year. While young arms like Connelly Early and Payton Tolle offer promise, the overall composition of the rotation heading into next season remains unclear.
It’s been well known that the Red Sox are looking to bolster their pitching staff, even amid their success this past season. Prior to the trade deadline, Boston was reportedly eyeing pitchers like Joe Ryan, signaling their intent to upgrade the rotation.
With free agency now on the horizon, the Red Sox will have several opportunities to land a high-caliber arm. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, both Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez are potential targets for Boston this offseason, as he mentioned in a video shared by Bleacher Report on YouTube.
“Framber Valdez could, I could see that,” Heyman said Friday in a video posted to YouTube by Bleacher Report. “Ranger Suárez, I could see that. Lefties have had success in Fenway (Park) even with the Green Monster.”
Valdez and Suárez are both former All-Stars coming off solid campaigns. Valdez touted a 3.66 ERA with 187 strikeouts across 31 starts for the Houston Astros, while Suárez had a 3.20 ERA in 26 starts. Either hurler would be a welcome addition for Boston, but Suárez offers a slightly younger option and has a somewhat better playoff resume.
Leave a Reply