Athletics Lefty Hurler Reportedly 'On The Market'; Should Red Sox Pounce?

Boston has the opportunity to add starting pitching from an unexpected source

May 4, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox could be trading for a good starting pitcher next week instead of a great one, which would be a wise move for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.

Manager Alex Cora needs another arm in the rotation to work with, but it doesn’t need to be someone on the level of Garrett Crochet, especially given the prospect haul that Boston would have to relinquish to acquire such an asset.

The Red Sox have overachieved this year, but they’re still long shots to contend for a World Series. This isn’t a roster one piece away from a championship, and Breslow shouldn't sell off Boston’s future in pursuit of one.

Rather, Breslow should be looking to build sustainability. Hemorrhaging draft capital for a premature title chase isn’t the move, but there’s also a delicate balance to the art of remaining competitive over the next few months. Failure to make the playoffs would be seen as a disappointing end to Boston's upstart season. Consequently, the Red Sox should be buyers over the next 10 days.

The key for Breslow? Think along the margins and make a couple of tasteful additions.

For pitching, Breslow would be prudent to pass on guys like Crochet or Jack Flaherty and zero in on Luis Severino or JP Sears as targets.

The left-handed Sears, in particular, would be a savvy acquisition. He was linked in recent days to the Red Sox by The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey, who also acknowledged that Boston should bow out of any race for Crochet. 

“Young Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet figures to be on the move but the Red Sox would almost certainly have to part with one, or maybe even two, of their top three prospects in Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel and Roman Anthony,” McCaffrey said. “Crochet has been dominant but doesn’t have the veteran pedigree the team could use. Other starters on the market include … left-handers JP Sears (Oakland Athletics) and Tyler Anderson (Los Angeles Angels).”

Sears has been solid for the lowly Athletics this season. He was 7-7 on the year with a 4.49 ERA through 106 1/3 innings pitched entering Sunday. Sears isn’t a game-changer, but he’d help round out a Red Sox rotation that has been too top-heavy.

Will Breslow want to make a bigger splash, or is Sears just the player he's looking for right now?

More MLB: Blue Jays Rising Star Surprisingly Could Be Traded; Will Red Sox Get Involved?