Red Sox Could Have Another Rotation Splash Up Their Sleeve

The Boston Red Sox's starting rotation has already taken a step in the right direction this offseason as the organization acquired Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals for Brandon Clarke and Richard Fitts.

Boston also got cash in the deal to help with Gray's contract.

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The Red Sox should still be looking

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was candid throughout the general manager meetings about Boston's intention to add pitching that moves the needle. Gray does that. He's a three-time All-Star and is one of just three pitchers -- along with Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet -- to tally 400 or more strikeouts and fewer than 80 walks over the last two seasons.

Pitchers with 400+ strikeouts and fewer than 80 walks over the last 2 seasons:

- Tarik Skubal
- Garrett Crochet
- Sonny Gray pic.twitter.com/dHkFeUEp2r
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 30, 2025

But does Boston have any other moves up its sleeve? MLB.com's Ian Browne didn't rule out the possibility.

"Does the trade for Gray mean the Sox won’t get another starter? Not necessarily," Browne wrote. "Keep in mind that in making this trade, the Red Sox didn’t make a huge financial expenditure. With the Cardinals throwing in $20 million, Boston will be on the hook for roughly $20 million in total, divided between Gray’s $31 million salary for 2026 and the $10 million buyout of his mutual option for '27. If Gray pitches like he has the last couple of years, one year at $20 million of club money is a pretty reasonable price. This potentially leaves room for a free agent starter, and there are plenty on the market.

"Also, while the Sox did deal their No. 5 rated prospect per MLB Pipeline in Brandon Clarke in addition to young depth starter Richard Fitts, they didn’t have to dip into their Major League core. This means that if the Sox need Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu as a key piece to make another move for a high-end starter, it could still happen."

Now that's interesting. Imagine if the Red Sox could still add someone on the trade block, like Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins? A starting rotation featuring Crochet, Gray, and Brayan Bello already has the makings to be very good. Add in someone like Ryan or a comparable pitcher on the trade block plus a young guy, like Connelly Early, and then all of a sudden you have the makings of arguably the best rotation in baseball.

There's more work to do, like re-signing Alex Bregman, but adding another pitcher would obviously be smart as well.

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