Red Sox Get Unfortunate Update On $53M All-Star Trade Target

The Boston Red Sox acquired Garrett Crochet in a trade last offseason, and now the team could be interested in adding another starting pitcher. Hunter Greene of the Cincinnati Reds could be a target.

The 26-year-old is inked to a six-year, $53 million extension with club control through 2029. He was an All-Star in 2024, and his name has been floated in trade rumors all year. However, ESPN’s Jeff Passan provided an update on his chance of being dealt this winter.

“A minuscule chance he moves,” Passan wrote of Greene on Tuesday. “Not quite (Paul) Skenes, but pretty close.”

The Reds made the postseason last year and may feel they are close to building a contender. Trading away a young star would not be wise at this point. In fact, the Reds could see this offseason as an opportunity to be aggressive and build on their young, talented roster.

In the last two years, Greene has a 2.76 ERA across 45 starts and 258 innings of work. He has struck out 301 batters as well. He would be an elite addition to the Red Sox rotation, slotting in right behind Crochet.

His fastball velocity ranks in the 99th percentile, his strikeout percentage is in the 93rd percentile, his whiff percentage is in the 90th percentile and his chase rate is in the 89th percentile. He has elite stuff and one of the best fastballs in baseball, according to Baseball Savant.

Green’s contract is very team-friendly, considering how good he is. Adding him would cost any team greatly in terms of prospects, but he would be less of a burden on payroll than premier free agents or other trade candidates. However, Passan’s intel indicates that he will not be on the move.

There are still plenty of stars for the Red Sox to pivot to. Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease and Ranger Suárez are all available on the open market. Additionally, Kodai Senga, Jacob deGrom and MacKenzie Gore could all reportedly be available via trade.