The Boston Red Sox have a chance to form one of the best rotations in baseball this offseason.
Despite injuries to two key hurlers and a lot of negative chatter heading into the 2024 season, Boston actually had the seventh-best starter ERA in baseball at 3.81. The Red Sox lost top free agent pickup Lucas Giolito for the season and also Garrett Whitlock and yet they were able to shine.
Boston will have Giolito back in the rotation in 2025 and already has landed Garrett Crochet to help at the top of the rotation. The Red Sox’s rotation already should be better than it was in 2024, but it could be even better if they sign four-time All-Star Corbin Burnes.
He’s the top available pitcher remaining on the open market and has been linked to Boston. While this is the case, other teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Francisco Giants also have been heavily involved.
His price tag will be astronomical thanks in large part to Max Fried signing a $218 million deal with the New York Yankees. Burnes should get more and it’s only a matter of time until he lands a deal.
Newsweek’s Zach Pressnell took a look at Burnes’ market and predicted that despite the competition, Boston actually will end up winning the bidding war and give Burnes an eight-year, $260 million deal.
“Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes is the top player left in free agency this winter,” Pressnell said. “He’s coming off a Cy Young caliber season in which he posted a 2.92 ERA in 32 starts. His career ERA sits at 3.19 with his career WHIP sitting at an impressive 1.06…That leaves us with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Giants as the top three suitors for the former Cy Young winner…
“The Giants sent a lot of money to shortstop Willy Adames, but they’re still rumored to be hot on Burnes’ tail…The Blue Jays are real contenders in this sweepstakes as well, but they’ll ultimately fall short to the Red Sox. Boston already added an ace at the top of its rotation in a blockbuster trade to acquire Garrett Crochet. The Red Sox lineup is pretty solid, so Boston could overpay to acquire Burnes in a move that closes the gap a bit in the American League East. Prediction: Corbin Burnes signs with the Boston Red Sox, eight years, $260 million.”
This is just a hypothetical prediction, but if it were to come true, Boston immediately could compete against the Orioles and New York Yankees for the top spot in the American League East.
