Red Sox Met With Two All-Star Starting Pitchers: Will Boston Land Its Next Ace?

Pressure is high to make a splash...

Jul 16, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; American League pitcher Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles (39) pitches in the first inning during the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox know that with each passing day, the pressure mounts on them to make an impact signing.

The playoffs are a realistic goal for Boston in 2025, but the current roster likely won't get them there. Some holes need to be plugged, and the number-one hole for the Red Sox right now sits atop the starting pitching rotation.

Getting an ace this winter is both simple and difficult--you've got to outbid everyone else. By the look of things, the free-agent market is as expensive as it's ever been, and the two top starters on that market are squarely in the Red Sox's crosshairs.

Max Fried and Corbin Burnes, both of whom anticipate nine-figure contracts and could easily surpass $200 million, are known to be Red Sox targets. According to the latest report from Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, the Red Sox have gone a step farther in their initial pursuit of both All-Star hurlers.

Speier reported Sunday that the Red Sox had held meetings with both Fried and Burnes in recent days.

"According to multiple major league sources, the Red Sox recently met with the top two remaining free agent starters, righthander Corbin Burnes and lefthander Max Fried. The meeting with Burnes occurred remotely. It’s not known whether the team met with Fried in person or remotely," Speier said.

"Both Fried and Burnes have been reliably excellent for years. Since 2020, Fried has the lowest ERA in baseball (2.81), while Burnes (2.88) ranks second-lowest. For that reason, interest in both is widespread, particularly given that there are few other established front-of-the-rotation options."

Additionally, Bob Nightengale of USA Today said recently that the bidding war for Fried will likely come down to the Red Sox and New York Yankees. Those two are joined by the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, and San Francisco Giants as known suitors for Burnes.

At the end of the day, it's going to be an all-out war for frontline starting pitching. The Red Sox would be wise to fire the opening salvo.

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