Poll: Who should Sox use as trade bait for a frontline SP?
The Red Sox enter this winter with the same need as last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. Pitching!!! Specifically, of the starting variety.
The Red Sox won half of their games this year, while the starting rotation combined to go just 44-51. Kutter Crawford, who regional media lauded as a key contributor to the squad, led the AL with 16 losses and an MLB-worst 34 homers allowed. I'm sorry, but you can't pretend to be a serious team if that's your third best option out of the chute.
Both Craig Breslow and Sam Kennedy vowed the Red Sox "will look to improve through every pathway," this winter, though we know one of those pathways will not be shelling out top dollar for top quality pitching.
As Jen McCaffrey, Red Sox beat writer for The Athletic, recently noted, it's likely Boston will try to explore possible trades this winter to bring young, controllable starting pitching to town.
In that scenario, it takes two to tango. So, if the Sox want top value, they'll have to pay top dollar.
MLB Pipeline released their latest prospect rankings last night, which has three Worcester products listed among the top 10 prospects in all of baseball. No other team has three in the top 30, and the Sox have four in the top 25.
Roman Anthony leads the way at No. 3, followed by Marcelo Mayer at No. 7 and Kristian Campbell, the Eastern League MVP, at No. 10. Kyle Teel slots in at No. 25.
But, the kids aren't Boston's only assets to use in a potential blockbuster. Jarren Duran's value is at an all-time high, coming off one of the best all-around seasons in franchise history. Triston Casas, while hampered this season by injury, still had a 33-homer pace in his 62 games played and has the potential of developing into a 30/100 bat in the middle of the lineup. Yet, both have been brought up as possible candidates.
Anyone listed would be enough to make out-of-town GM's pick up the phone this winter and consider swinging a deal with the Sox. The question is, who would you be willing to deal?