MLB Rumors: 3 pitchers Red Sox could ‘aggressively’ trade top prospects to land

The Boston Red Sox are in desperate need of rotation help. Their starting pitching has been their biggest weakness in recent years, and 2023 was no exception to that as Boston ranked 22nd in starting pitching ERA. Only one team below them finished with a winning record, and that was the 82-80 Reds who didn't even make the playoffs.

With that in mind, new Red Sox executive Craig Breslow is planning on doing whatever he can to improve that weakness. Jen McCaffrey's latest for The Athletic (subscription required) quotes Breslow saying "We’re going to be as aggressive as we can possibly be to fill the rotation".

While Boston could look to target pitchers like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and even Eduardo Rodriguez in free agency, there's no guarantee they'll be able to land anyone of note. With that in mind, Breslow has to also consider the trade market. Fortunately, the Red Sox have many high-end prospects they can include in trades for starting pitchers. These three arms are ones Boston should consider trading some of those top prospects for.

1) Red Sox could trade top prospects to land the best pitcher on the market, Corbin Burnes

If he is indeed available, Corbin Burnes is undoubtedly the best pitcher Boston can acquire. He's finished in the top eight of the NL Cy Young balloting in each of the last four years and has solidified himself as one of the best pitchers in the sport.

This past season, Burnes posted a 3.39 ERA in 32 starts and 193.2 innings pitched. He led the league with a 1.069 WHIP, and was towards the top in virtually every other major statistical category in the National League.

What might make Burnes a bit less appealing is the fact that this is his final year of team control. While that can make this deal risky, it'd also lessen the package that it would take to actually get a deal done. With Boston's financial resources, they shouldn't worry about being unable to re-sign him either, unless things go horribly wrong.

With the Brewers possibly entering a rebuild, Burnes could be a player they look to move for a haul. If they do move him, Boston must immediately inquire and be willing to part with some key assets.