The Boston Red Sox have spent most of this season leaning on a rotation that has held up impressively, even while injuries kept chipping away at the group. That hasn’t changed the basic math, though: if there’s a chance to add another starter before Monday night’s trade deadline, Boston should at least be looking hard.
The concern starts with the health picture. Garrett Crochet’s return this season is still up in the air, and Connelly Early is already gone after being included in the deal that brought Curtis Mead to Boston.
That leaves the Red Sox asking a lot of young arms, including Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett, both of whom have handled themselves well while working through innings territory they haven’t really seen in their pro careers. They’ve been excellent, but the workload is real, and there’s a lot of season left.
That’s why a veteran addition makes sense, and the name that stands out is Jacob deGrom.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that deGrom could be in play, even if his no-trade clause would make any deal tougher to pull off.
"The Rangers could make Corey Seager or Jacob deGrom available, though deGrom's no-trade clause would complicate matters with the deadline rapidly approaching," Passan wrote.
If deGrom really is available, Boston would be looking at a pitcher with a résumé that speaks for itself. The 13-year major league veteran owns two Cy Young Awards and a 2.67 career ERA across 269 games. His playoff sample is tiny - just five games - but he’s still posted a 2.90 ERA in those outings.
For the Red Sox, this would be the kind of move that changes the feel of a staff already performing at a high level. If Crochet comes back down the stretch, that only strengthens the case. If he doesn’t, deGrom would be the sort of arm that could lift the rotation even further.
He’d also bring something beyond innings and strikeouts: experience. With so many young pitchers in the mix, deGrom would give Boston another veteran presence to lean on.
The biggest need in Boston remains a right-handed bat. Still, if deGrom ends up on the market, he belongs on the Red Sox’s radar.
In Other News...
Red Sox Eye One More Deadline Move To Fix A Lingering Problem
The Red Sox have already done business with the Nationals twice in the past nine months, landing pitcher Jake Bennett and infielder Curtis Mead, but the work in Washington may not be finished. Mead is currently out with a broken wrist, and Boston still appears to be searching for a cleaner answer on the infield as the trade deadline approaches.
According to reports, the club has continued to monitor Washingtons infield market while looking for another move that would address the lingering issue. The interest points toward a player who has been productive this season, and the price could require Boston to part with a notable major league piece or a pitcher from the current roster mix. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Wild Card Push Suddenly Hinges On Two Unsettled Developments
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The bigger organizational questions are still simmering behind the scenes. Tanner Houcks recovery from UCL surgery has reached the point where he is throwing in bullpen sessions, and the possibility of a late-season return adds another layer to Bostons pitching picture. On the roster front, the Red Sox have also had interest in Luis Garca Jr., but the Yankees are close to getting there first, which would force Boston to keep looking for help as the deadline pressure and the playoff chase continue to overlap. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Face One Huge Deadline Decision On A Star Catcher
The Red Sox are staring at a late-breaking catcher decision with real consequences, as Boston and Baltimore have already lined up the framework of a potential deal involving Adley Rutschman. Prospects have been identified, medical information has been exchanged and the sides have gotten far enough along that the only remaining hurdle is Bostons final approval.
Rutschmans status adds another layer to the pause, since he is dealing with an injury that has kept him out. For a Red Sox club weighing both the short-term fit and the long-term cost, that makes this less about simply adding a name and more about deciding whether the timing, health and price all line up well enough to move forward. [Read more 🡒]