Red Sox-Corbin Burnes rumors seem dead, but another dream is still alive

The Boston Red Sox are one of several teams still in on Corbin Burnes, though they are hardly among the favorites. Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants have earned that title, along with the incumbent Baltimore Orioles.

Frankly, it is not surprising to hear the Red Sox and Craig Breslow prefer not to get in the bidding for Burnes. While they should track his market just in case, Boston traded for ace Garrett Crochet for a reason. The Red Sox are reportedly considering an extension for Crochet, who is set to become a free agent in a few years.

"The cost to sign Burnes is likely to exceed Fried's deal," Passan wrote. "Burnes' suitors include the Giants, Blue Jays and Orioles, and because of his bona fides -- four All-Star appearances, a Cy Young Award and the second-best ERA in MLB over the past half-decade at 2.88 -- ruling out others engaging would be premature."

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Red Sox may miss out on Corbin Burnes, but Teoscar Hernandez remains an option

While it's too early to entirely count out the Red Sox, Burnes appears to be trending away from Boston, which isn't all that shocking due to the factors discussed above. The Red Sox rotation as currently constructed could still use another mid-level starter for depth reasons, but Boston isn't in dire need of an ace. They took care of that issue, and could turn their focus elsewhere – such as free agents Alex Bregman and Teoscar Hernandez.

Passan linked Bregman with the Red Sox in his piece, which is a known fact at this point in his free agency. Hernandez, however, is a bit of a wild card. Hernandez was expected to sign shortly after Juan Soto, as he's one of the best remaining outfielders on the open market. A return to the Los Angeles Dodgers is the most likely option, but it is not the only possibility. As Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic notes, Hernandez and Boston would be an ideal match. She even gave the Sox 60-40 odds to sign him.

The Red Sox have proven they're willing to spend this winter, and a multiyear deal with Hernandez could get the job done. He played on a one-year contract last season with the Dodgers and proved his worth. He'd rather not do so again.