The Red Sox may be shopping for impact this offseason, but a Tarik Skubal splash doesn’t sound like the likeliest path.
Boston has work to do on both sides of the ball, yet the clearest signal right now is that the front office is expected to lean offense first. That doesn’t mean pitching is off the table. It just means the Red Sox are more likely to add depth than chase the kind of headline-grabbing arm that would reshape the entire market.
That’s where Skubal comes in. He’s the prize at the top of the free-agent board, and on pure talent, he’d be a dream fit. But the latest read on Boston’s pursuit says the price tag may push them out of the race.
“The Red Sox are likely to focus on improving their offense first and foremost, but there’s no such thing as too much pitching depth, so adding a middle-to-back-end starter is on the table. At the moment, the Red Sox possess a full rotation with Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle, Jake Bennett and Brayan Bello or Tanner Houck, but adding to that group will fortify against the inevitable injury.
“While it’s not out of the question that the Red Sox try to reunite with Sonny Gray or target higher-end starters like Freddy Peralta or Trevor Rogers, it’s unlikely the Red Sox will be dropping $400 million to sign Tarik Skubal,” Jen McCaffrey wrote.
That’s the real issue here: money. Boston could probably make the numbers work if it wanted to, but committing $400 million to one player doesn’t line up neatly with a roster that still has needs elsewhere. The Red Sox need help on offense, and spending that kind of money on Skubal would likely leave another gap untouched.
Nobody would turn up their nose at adding a pitcher of Skubal’s caliber. The talent is obvious. But based on this report, Boston’s chances of landing him don’t look strong, and the more realistic route appears to be a smaller move that strengthens the rotation without swallowing the offseason whole.
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Red Sox Are Linked To A Former Yankee With One Big Risk
Clay Holmes is back on the market after a season that showed both why teams will be interested and why there is some hesitation. The former Yankees reliever, who spent part of last year starting for the Cubs, worked through a fractured leg injury and still managed a 3.29 ERA over 18 starts before the injury, then finished with a 4.25 ERA after the trade to Chicago. For a Red Sox club looking at rotation options, that kind of profile makes him an intriguing name to monitor.
The appeal is obvious: Holmes has starter experience now, a track record in the division from his Yankees days, and projections have already tied him to a three-year, $57 million deal. The risk is just as clear, though, because his recent work comes with health questions and some uncertainty about how stable he can be over a full season in a Boston rotation that could use reliability as much as upside. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Face Real Urgency As Breslow Weighs 3 Key Moves
The Red Sox are heading into the General Manager Meetings in Las Vegas with a sense that this winter may not stay quiet for long. With the calendar pointing toward a possible lockout on Dec. 1, Craig Breslow and the front office have a narrow window to get aggressive, and the early chatter around the club suggests Boston could be looking at a mix of short-term pitching help and a more significant shakeup in the outfield.
Among the ideas being floated are a run at outfielder Randy Arozarena, a possible reunion with Sonny Gray on a short-term deal, and even the possibility of moving Jarren Duran in a trade. None of that is set in stone, but it does show the range of decisions in front of Breslow as the Red Sox try to balance urgency with flexibility before the offseason gets any more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Could Be Holding A Trade Answer Boston Really Needs
The Red Sox have been looking for ways to strengthen the designated hitter spot, and Teoscar Hernandez has emerged as a name worth watching. Bostons interest makes sense on paper: Hernandez can handle a corner outfield spot or slide into DH, giving a lineup in need of more thump a flexible option with some real staying power.
Los Angeles may be the place to watch here because the Dodgers outfield and DH mix is crowded enough to create a ripple effect. Hernandez is under contract through 2027 with a club option for 2028, so any deal would not be a short-term patch for Boston. The question is whether the Dodgers are willing to move a player who fits multiple roles, and whether the Red Sox can line up the kind of trade package it would take to get him. [Read more 🡒]