MLB Insider Lists Red Sox Potential Offseason Pitching Targets

You can never have enough pitching. The Boston Red Sox learned that the hard way during their American League Wild Card Series with the New York Yankees.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora was forced to start rookie left-hander Connelly Early in the series-clinching Game 3 loss because right-hander Lucas Giolito was sidelined with a late-season elbow injury.

With that in mind, Masslive.com’s Sean McAdam identified some offseason pitching targets for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to consider.

“It wouldn’t be surprising if the Red Sox made another run at Minnesota’s Joe Ryan,” McAdam wrote. “The Red Sox engaged with the Twins at the trade deadline last July, but couldn’t reach a last-minute agreement.

“Other available starters on the trade market — like Miami’s Sandy Alcantara — could attract interest too,” McAdam added. “On the free agent market, the Sox could choose from among Michael King, Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen and Framber Valdez.”

Of the pitchers McAdam listed, Ryan certainly is the most intriguing. He’s coming off his best season in the majors, tying his career high with 13 wins while posting a career-low 3.42 ERA.

Like McAdam reported, Breslow and the Red Sox made a hard push to acquire the 29-year-old right-hander before the July 31 MLB trade deadline.

In the club’s end-of-season press conference, Breslow admitted pitching is on his mind heading into Hot Stove season.

“No one will sit in this seat and say that there’s enough pitching in the organization,” said Breslow, per McAdam. “I think we saw that in the second half and we could list out the pitchers that were on the IL and it just means that depth is so critically important.

“So, like I said, when we talk about pursuing opportunities to improve the team, bringing in (more) pitching certainly is one of them,” Breslow added.

As Breslow mentioned, the Red Sox have a handful of young pitchers rehabbing from injuries, including Hunter Dobbins, Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck. Plus Early and Payton Tolle, Boston’s other top pitching prospect, have the Red Sox believing the system is stocked with quality arms. So Breslow shouldn’t have to feel compelled to make a trade for an established pitcher if the deal isn’t right.

Speaking of deals, Ryan would be a cost-controlled arm who has two more seasons of eligibility remaining. While that is attractive to the Red Sox, it also means Boston would have to pay a premium for Ryan, who earned his first All-Star bid in 2025.