Red Sox Urged To Acquire Two-Time All-Star Pitcher

The Boston Red Sox are expected to add a starter to help solidify the rotation.

Boston’s rotation is solid, backed by Garrett Crochet, but the Red Sox are looking to add an impact starter to go behind the left-hander. MLB insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic urges Boston to acquire Freddy Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Bowden also believes pulling off a trade for Peralta is more likely than acquiring Joe Ryan, whose name has also come up in trade rumors.

“The Red Sox are likely to prefer to trade for a starter rather than spend lavishly on the free-agent market,” Bowden wrote, in a piece published on Thursday. “Especially given the young pitching talent they have either just debuting in the big leagues, such as Payton Tolle, Hunter Dobbins, and Connelly Early, or on the horizon, such as Kyson Witherspoon and Brandon Clarke. …

“Making a deal for Peralta or Ryan, however, seems reasonable. Neither is likely to cost the same in terms of trade assets as Skubal will. Peralta, like Skubal, is in his walk season, but Ryan has two years of team control remaining. The Red Sox have plenty of talent to dangle in a potential deal for either pitcher.”

Peralta will earn $8 million in 2026 after the Brewers picked up his club option. But with him in the final year of his deal, Milwaukee could look to trade him.

The 29-year-old went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts last season. Peralta is a two-time MLB All-Star and would help solidify the Red Sox’s rotation if Boston does make a move.