MLB Rumors: Red Sox-Snell, O's best asset for Cease, Montgomery-Cubs?

MLB Rumors: Red Sox seen as a top Blake Snell landing spot

The Boston Red Sox have had a frustrating offseason. They've made some solid additions like Lucas Giolito, Tyler O'Neill, and even Vaughn Grissom, but they've also traded away Chris Sale and Alex Verdugo. Is Boston better? Maybe a little, but that's far from a guarantee. They're certainly not better than any of their division rivals. The biggest reason for that, of course, is their starting rotation.

Boston had one of the worst rotations in the American League in 2023, and that looks like it's going to be the case once again this upcoming season. Sure, they added Giolito, but traded away Sale who despite his durability concerns, is still quite good when healthy. Giolito on the other hand, while being remarkably durable, has posted an ERA approaching 5.00 in each of the last two seasons.

One player Boston can add who would immediately push them closer to competing for a playoff spot is Blake Snell, the reigning NL Cy Young winner. Snell remains on the open market into late January and doesn't appear to be receiving a lot of interest. The lack of interest could get Blake Snell's cost down to a level where even Boston would be comfortable.

It's hard to trust Boston to seriously pursue Snell after CEO Sam Kennedy said their 2024 payroll will likely be lower than last year's, but Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller has Boston among the favorites to land the left-hander, ranking them as the third-most likely destination behind the Angels and Giants. With the Angels having no plan and the Giants landing no high-end free agents in recent years, perhaps the door is more open than we thought for Boston to swoop in.

Again, it's probably unlikely, but the longer Snell stays available the more likely it is that Boston will decide they actually can afford him. Snell to Boston should not be seen as an impossibility.