MLB Rumors: Braves next move, Red Sox big deal looming, Bryce Harper extension
- Bryce Harper wants to extend his contract with Phillies
- Red Sox still in the market for top-end pitchers
- Braves trade Max Stassi to the White Sox
2. MLB Rumors: Red Sox still in the market for pitching upgrades
The Boston Red Sox have whiffed on Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, but the offseason is far from over for Craig Breslow's club. The Red Sox sent Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees in a surprising twist, then acquired his replacement in Tyler O'Neill from the St. Louis Cardinals. Next up is probably an addition to the pitching staff.
One of "many" pitchers the Red Sox are still interested in is Blake Snell, per WEEI's Rob Bradford.
Of many pitchers Red Sox showing interest in, one still on their radar is Blake Snell
— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) December 9, 2023
Snell won his second Cy Young award with the San Diego Padres last season, posting a 2.25 ERA and 1.189 WHIP with a 14-9 record in 32 starts. The Red Sox have a couple solid top-line starters in Chris Sale and Brayan Bello, but neither can touch Snell as a proper No. 1 ace. If Boston wants to improve on 2023's last-place finish, Snell is a strong investment.
Also keep your eyes on Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The New York teams are frontrunners at the moment, but Boston continues to be cited as a threat. Jon Heyman of the New York Post mentioned the Red Sox in connection to Yamamoto yesterday, with the understanding that virtually every major market is interested in the 25-year-old righty.
Snell and Yamamoto are the pipe dreams. If the Red Sox can't land one of the offseason's true aces, the next best bet is probably Jordan Montgomery. A reunion with the Texas Rangers appears unlikely due to uncertainty about the Rangers' local TV deal, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Boston is a potentially great fit for Montgomery, who went 3-1 in six postseason starts for Texas, posting a 2.90 ERA and 3.90 FIP with 17 strikeouts in 31.0 innings. Few players were more clutch during the Rangers' World Series run.
Montgomery doesn't have the same stuff as Snell or Yamamoto, but he's a bankable innings-eater with a strong postseason track record. He would add a measure of veteran reliability alongside Bello, with Sale very much on the decline.