Red Sox Update Signals Major Change In Search For Star Players

For whatever it's worth, it doesn't appear that the Boston Red Sox are taking the disappointment of losing Alex Bregman lying down.

The Red Sox might often come up short in their pursuits of both free agents and trade targets, but if they get credit for anything, it's being active. They've always got irons in the fire, and with Bregman gone to the Chicago Cubs, it seems their strategy for building the best roster this year may be shifting.

Amid numerous reports that the Red Sox were considering starting pitchers as creative solutions to the vacuum Bregman leaves behind, Wednesday's latest report asserted that Boston is once again looking to dip into the trade market.

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Red Sox going after top-flight starters?

According to Rob Bradford of MassLive, Boston has been aggressive in pursuing top-level starting pitchers via trade in recent days. Bradford also emphasized that his report was based on information coming from outside the Red Sox organization.

"Hearing from sources outside Boston (that) the Red Sox are getting aggressive in pursuing top-level controllable starting pitching in the trade market," Bradford wrote. "Names floated as targets are no doubt No. 1 or 2."

It's not hard to imagine which names Bradford is referencing. It's Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins. It's Cole Ragans of the Kansas City Royals. It's probably MacKenzie Gore of the Washington Nationals, too, even though one could debate whether he's worthy of No. 2 billing.

If Bradford's bit about years of control applies to some and not all options, it's also Freddy Peralta of the Milwaukee Brewers, who will be a free agent next year. Maaaaybe it's Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, although it would seem far less likely that he gets traded while his arbitration case remains unsolved.

At this point, the Red Sox have earned a blanket mistrust from the fan base. No one is going to believe that one of those pitchers is coming to town until it happens.

Then, even if such a trade is made, there will still be plenty of reasonable complaints about the front office continually depleting a farm system to acquire cheap players, rather than spending real money on free agents.

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