A Red Sox-Tigers trade to ease rotation woes, fix a Boston whiff

The Boston Red Sox have a solid pitching rotation, but it's not the kind of rotation that's going to lead them to the playoffs. The rotation isn't their biggest concern, but they won't compete with the Yankees and the Orioles in the AL East if they don't grab an upgrade at the trade deadline.

A player who will be shopped and who could be a decent pickup for Boston would be the Tigers' ace, Jack Flaherty, a pitcher who Boston has whiffed on in the past.

Flaherty won't be especially cheap, considering he's having a great year, as seen by his 127 ERA+. He's also a free agent at the end of the season. But, the righty is probably entering his prime now and only looks to be getting better this season.

A Red Sox-Tigers trade to bolster Boston's rotation with Jack Flaherty

Flaherty would slot in as the Red Sox number two, comfortably behind the Boston ace, Tanner Houck. This would give Boston the freedom to move one of their starters, presumably Nick Pivetta or Cooper Criswell, to the bullpen for the time being, giving Boston a better bullpen option as well.

Boston would have to part ways with two prospects, one of them being their 10th-ranked prospect, Richard Fitts. To acquire a guy like Flaherty, Boston would be willing to give up an MLB-ready arm like Fitts.

Fitts, 24, is the third-highest-ranked pitcher in Boston's system and he's probably the most ready to make his way to the big leagues. But with the steady consistency in Boston's rotation, Fitts has remained in Triple-A, despite having a solid season.

Rodriguez-Cruz is a bit more of a lottery ticket prospect than Fitts is. Fitts has the body of a big leaguer, the arsenal of a big leaguer and the command of a big leaguer.

Rodriguez-Cruz, on the other hand, is one of the lightest players in all of baseball, reportedly weighing just 160 pounds. Still, his fastball sits in the mid-90s and he has the arsenal to get through a lineup three times, at least. His worry, like many lottery ticket arms, is his command and whether he'll be able to find it as he climbs the ranks of the minors.

Detroit would love to take a chance on this trade, moving away from an expiring contract that they'll lose in the offseason anyway. Adding two arms, both of which could find their way into the Tigers rotation in the next few years, would be huge for the franchise.

For Boston, they need to take some risks and get aggressive. The Yankees and Orioles are bound to get better at the deadline, with Gerrit Cole returning for the Yankees and the Orioles looking to be aggressive in the trade market. If Boston doesn't get aggressive too, they'll be left behind in the AL East.