The Red Sox have spent enough time piecing together their rotation to know when they already have something worth trusting.
Even with the injury pileup, Boston’s starting staff still sits in a strong spot. Garrett Crochet and Connelly Early are on the Injured List.
Brayan Bello has been sent down to Triple-A after his demotion. Johan Oviedo, Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval are also on the Injured List.
And yet, the group has held up well enough that the club doesn’t need to go chasing another arm just to feel better about itself.
There’s at least some encouragement on the injury front, too. Early went on the Injured List because of left elbow inflammation, but Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Wednesday that the 24-year-old was already feeling a little better and that he did not want to be placed on the Injured List in the first place. Sandoval should be back in the mix in the very near future, which only strengthens the case that Boston’s rotation doesn’t need a major outside addition.
That’s why the latest Tarik Skubal buzz doesn’t line up with what the Red Sox actually need.
On Wednesday, Jon Heyman of The New York Post included Boston among the possible landing spots for the Detroit Tigers ace in a column about where the two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner could end up. It’s a surprising mention, but not a sensible one for the Red Sox.
Skubal is a star, no question about that. But Boston should not be looking at an expensive rental starter as the answer, especially if it has any real chance of climbing back into playoff contention before the trade deadline. To land him, the Red Sox would almost certainly have to give up multiple top prospects for only a few months of control before he hits free agency and chases a massive deal.
That’s a steep price for a team that already has a very good rotation and should only get healthier from here.
The bigger issue for Boston is offense. Run prevention is already a strength.
The problem is scoring enough to make that strength matter. If the Red Sox can’t produce more at the plate, even a rotation that shuts things down won’t carry them where they want to go.
So while the Skubal idea makes for eye-catching speculation, it doesn’t make much baseball sense for this roster. Boston needs bats, not a short-term luxury on the mound.
In Other News...
Tigers Prospect Peyton Graham Is Finally Giving Detroit Something It Lacks
Peyton Grahams season in the Tigers system has turned into exactly the kind of development Detroit has been waiting to see from a once-promising shortstop. The 25-year-old is healthy again, playing at Double-A Erie, and his game has started to look like the one the organization hoped would emerge when it drafted him. Hes bringing speed, extra-base pop and enough consistent contact to make this much more than a brief hot streak.
The stolen bases have been the loudest part of the breakthrough, but theyre only part of the case Graham is making. After injury-plagued seasons that left him on the sidelines and searching for rhythm, he has put together a far more complete year, one that includes a strong batting average and an OPS that stands out in the Eastern League. He is not on the doorstep of Detroit yet, but for a club that can always use more athleticism up the middle, Graham is at least giving the Tigers something worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Fans Have Been Waiting On This Big Prospect Development
Josue Briceo is back on the field after missing time with wrist surgery from spring training, and the Tigers are finally getting a fresh look at one of their most intriguing young bats. The No. 3 prospect in the system has wasted little time making an impression, with two hits and a home run in his first three games back, a small sample but a meaningful one for a player Detroit has been tracking closely.
Briceos power is the reason the organization sees a real path for him to help in the majors, potentially as soon as next year. His bat could ultimately fit best at first base or designated hitter rather than behind the plate, which only adds to the appeal if he keeps producing like this once he settles back in. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Are Staring At A Brutal Rotation Crossroads After Skubal
The Tigers rotation picture is already looking shaky for next season, and the uncertainty only grows when you look beyond the current year. Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty are both part of the conversation as possible departures, Justin Verlander is nearing the end of the road, and Detroit may soon be leaning on a group that has far less big-league certainty than the staff it has tried to build around.
Casey Mize has become a central part of that discussion because he has given the Tigers something they can actually trust, building on his 2025 All-Star season with a strong run this year. Behind him, the internal options are there, but they are still more projection than proof, with Troy Melton and Keider Montero among the names trying to force their way into the mix. If Detroit wants to avoid a rotation reset, the next few months could shape a lot more than just the end of this season. [Read more 🡒]