On Friday, the Boston Red Sox and starting pitcher Lucas Giolito agreed to a two-year contract. With the exception of a Tyler O'Neill trade, Boston had been relatively quiet prior to the Giolito signing.
Unless the Sox are planning to immediately turn around and trade Giolito for prospects at the trade deadline, adding more talent in order to compete will be of the utmost importance. Could Boston use some more offense? Sure, but what they really need to continue improving is the starting rotation.
Giolito will help matters with the Sox's pitching, but there are still far too many questions in this rotation. As a result, Boston should go all in on adding pitchers.
With that being said, here are two moves the Red Sox must make following their Lucas Giolito addition.
Sign Blake Snell
Blake Snell is the best pitcher available in MLB free agency, as Yoshinobu Yamamoto recently signed a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Snell's free-agent market is slowly beginning to heat up, and the reigning NL Cy Young winner has been linked to the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels.
The Red Sox shouldn't act like a small market team. Boston has money to spend and their fans expect the team to win. It's time for the Sox to increase their free agency pursuits and do everything they can to sign Snell.
Snell does come with some risk as he walks too many hitters and is 31-years old. Nevertheless, his upside makes him worth the risk, and he could help Boston compete during the 2024 season and beyond.
Additionally, Snell is familiar with the AL East after previously pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays. He understands what it takes to face powerful opponents like the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.
Signing Snell makes sense for the Red Sox.
Red Sox should trade for a pitcher… possibly Dylan Cease
Acquiring a starting pitcher such as Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, or Corbin Burnes via trade is another move Boston must strongly consider. Sure, there are other free-agent pitching options aside from Snell still available in MLB free agency. However, Cease, Bieber, and Corbin Burnes all feature Cy Young upside.
Cease would probably be the best trade target for the Sox since he's under contract through 2025 (per Spotrac), as compared to Bieber and Burnes who will enter free agency following the 2024 season.
Cease is also just 28-years old and although he didn't have a great 2023 campaign, he would instantly become one of Boston's best pitchers.
Acquiring Cease, especially if the Red Sox do sign Snell, would give the ball club a solid rotation. And perhaps Boston could return to the playoffs in 2024.
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