The Boston Red Sox made one of the biggest moves of the MLB offseason so far, swinging a trade with the Chicago White Sox for starting pitcher Garrett Crochet. While a front-line starter has already been added to the Red Sox rotation, recent MLB rumors suggest the club isn’t done yet.
Boston has been fairly aggressive this offseason, finishing as one of the finalists for Juan Soto and making a push for Max Fried and Corbin Burnes. While the Red Sox rotation should be much stronger with Crochet added as the ace, payroll flexibility allows for another high-end pitcher to be added as well.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Red Sox are among the teams that have inquired with the Seattle Mariners regarding a trade for Luis Castillo. The All-Star starting pitcher is available, though, Seattle is setting a very high asking price.
- Boston Red Sox payroll 2025 (FanGraphs): $150 million, 13th in MLB
Castillo isn’t the only starter who might be on Boston’s radar. Rosenthal also mentions free agent Jack Flaherty, who the club was high on last season. Signing Flaherty would be significantly cheaper than Burnes, who is expected to net a contract north of $200-plus million total.
Castillo, age 32, is presumably Boston’s preferred option. He is owed just $24.15 million per season through 2027 and he’s a three-time All-Star selection. However, landing Flaherty wouldn’t require sacrificing more of the Red Sox top prospects not long after moving several for Crochet.
- Luis Castillo stats (ESPN): 3.64 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 175-47 K-BB ratio, .238 batting average allowed, .705 OPS allowed in 175.1 innings pitched
One thing that seems evident, Boston will be adding more competition for its starting rotation. Whether that means a mid-rotation starter or a No. 2 pitcher to plug behind Crochet, the Red Sox rotation should be in a much better position in 2025 than it was last season.
