Red Sox Next Move Should Involve Old Friend From Chris Sale Deal

The Boston Red Sox should look to make a move...

Jun 14, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Michael Kopech throws during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ryan Sun-Imagn Images | Ryan Sun-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox's bullpen was one of the team's biggest strengths in 2025, but it could use a little more firepower before Spring Training gets here. Fortunately, there are numerous options still out there just waiting to get a deal done.

On Monday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com shared a column highlighting 26 predictions for the organization in 2026. One prediction was that the Red Sox's first big league signing of the winter would be a reliever.

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"No. 10. The first major league free agent signing comes in the form of a veteran reliever," Cotillo wrote. "Clubs might have to wait a little bit for decisions from top free agents like Bregman and Bichette but the relief market is picked over, meaning only a few guys left out there are going to get major league deals. The Red Sox should sign one of them, whether in the form of a reunion with Justin Wilson or a flier on a veteran like Ryne Stanek, Danny Coulombe, Tyler Kinley, Pierce Johnson, Seranthony Dominguez or Michael Kopech."

The Red Sox should look to reunite

If the Red Sox could have any member of this group, the guy the club should go after is Kopech. He was one of the organization's top prospects once upon a time. But he was included in the deal that brought Chris Sale to town. Kopech began his big league career with the Chicago White Sox. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2024 season and spent the 2025 campaign there.

You may remember Kopech as the former Red Sox prospect who threw a fastball 105 miles per hour while with the organization.

He transitioned fully into a bullpen role in 2024 and has been good since. In 2024, he had a 3.46 ERA in 67 outings. In 2025, he had a 2.45 ERA in 14 appearances. Kopech still boasts an elite fastball and is just 29 years old. Coming off a season in which he wasn't available throughout the entire campaign, maybe he's someone who could be had for cheap to help the bullpen. Pairing a fastball like his with Aroldis Chapman and Jordan Hicks would give the club some serious firepower each night.

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