Roki Sasaki dark horse could be dream scenario for the Red Sox

The Seattle Mariners will deploy a bold strategy in 2025: try to win every game 1-0. At least, that's what it seems like they'd be trying to do if they signed Roki Sasaki, the flame-throwing starter from Japan. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, that's well within reason — Seattle currently has a 7:1 shot to sign Sasaki, fourth-best in baseball behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and New York Mets.

Seattle already has the best rotations in baseball — Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller can all shut down offenses with the best of 'em. This gauntlet of starters led baseball in ERA (3.38) WHIP (1.03) and quality starts (92) in 2024. Adding another pitcher with ace-level stuff would make this staff even more unfair, especially in the pitcher-friendly confines of T-Mobile Park.

But it's not likely that Seattle would roll out a six-man rotation; rather, the Mariners would likely flip one of those starters for a bat or two. That's where the Red Sox would come in.

The Boston Red Sox could swoop in for one of Seattle's starters

Seattle needs a bat and has a ton of good starting pitching. Boston needs an arm and has some bats it could float as trade pieces. Anyone want to make a deal?

There isn't one arm in the Mariners rotation that Boston would covet over the others — they're all righties — but if Boston wants to acquire the best mix of talent, upside and value, then Bryan Woo would make a lot of sense. Woo has struggled staying healthy, but he's just 24 years old and when he's on the mound, he's got some filthy stuff — including a fastball that runs about as much as any pitch around the MLB.

Seattle values all of its starters, but if Sasaki does end up in the PNW, Woo might be the easiest to pry from the Mariners' grip.

The Red Sox would love to land a top-flight pitcher in free agency. Corbin Burnes or Jack Flaherty or even Sasaki himself would help solve Boston's starting pitching problem, but if none of those options work out, the Sox should give Jerry Dipoto a call and see if Seattle is willing to part with any of its starters. Considering Dipoto has made approximately 400 trades in his time with the Mariners (that's barely an exaggeration) he might be willing to listen.