Tanner Houck’s poor performance on the mound on Monday in a 16-1 loss against the Tampa Bay Rays continues to raise questions about the Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation.
Houck, who made his first All-Star appearance in 2024, allowed 11 earned runs on 10 hits in 2.1 innings in Monday’s start against the Rays.
Even with the expected returns of Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello, and the emergence of Garrett Crochet as the team’s ace, do the Red Sox have enough to stay competitive in the American League East?
On Tuesday, Jon Vankin of Newsweek wrote that the Red Sox could target Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo López in a blockbuster trade idea.
López is on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain but was off to an excellent start to the 2025 season, posting a 1.62 ERA and 14 strikeouts in three starts for a struggling Twins club.
Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez (49) throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Chances are, the Twins would start the trade discussion with Boston’s top prospects on MLB Pipeline, outfielder Roman Anthony, and shortstop Marcelo Mayer. Craig Breslow, Boston’s chief baseball officer, is unlikely to accept a deal for either of those two players, who the Red Sox view as cornerstone pieces for years to come.
“[Franklin] Arias plus another lower-ranked prospect may be enough to extract López from the floundering Twins,” Vankin wrote on Tuesday. “Of course, the Red Sox are hoping they will never have to find out, and that Houck will rediscover the form he exhibited in the first half of last season.”
López, a first-time All-Star in 2023, is in the second season of a four-year contract with the Twins, so a trade to the Red Sox would mean Boston would have López in their rotation for two and a half seasons.
The Venezuela native entered his eighth season in MLB after five seasons with the Miami Marlins and the previous two with the Twins.
