Red Sox Blockbuster Trade Proposal Lands Mariners Ace For Lefty Slugger

An earnest attempt to cook up a winning trade with an AL rival...

May 12, 2018; Detroit, MI, USA; Hat and glove of Seattle Mariners center fielder Dee Gordon (9) sits in dugout during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic lit the particular corner of the internet that cares about the Boston Red Sox on fire earlier this Friday.

In a piece discussing an issue Red Sox fans have fretted about all season, the team's overreliance on left-handed hitting, Rosenthal not only brought up the possibility of signing Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, but trading budding star first baseman Triston Casas.

"Picture Alex Bregman playing third base for the Boston Red Sox next season. Wait, what about Rafael Devers? Move him to first. What about Triston Casas? Trade him for a starting pitcher of comparable ability and service, maybe one from the Seattle Mariners," Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal's words might be speculation, or they might be grounded in knowledge of trade discussions. There's no way to know the answer. But since a trade with the Mariners is on Red Sox fans' minds, why not concoct a hypothetical deal for one of those marquee starting pitchers?

The question then becomes: Which starting pitcher are the Mariners willing to ship out for the hitting they desperately need? There's a plethora of options, but one in particular might strike a happy note for Red Sox fans.

When George Kirby began his start at Fenway Park in August with a knuckleball, he won the hearts of many with fond memories of the late Tim Wakefield. He's also been one of the most consistent pitchers of the past three seasons, racking up 492 2/3 innings pitched and 6.6 WAR.

Kirby has shown ace potential, but with a slightly inflated ERA in 2024 (3.77 in 30 starts), perhaps the timing is right to strike a deal when his stock is just a tick down. Here's what a realistic trade proposal might look like:

Red Sox receive: RHP George Kirby, UTIL Dylan Moore

Mariners receive: 1B Triston Casas, OF Miguel Bleis, INF Mikey Romero

In addition to landing Kirby, who could quickly become the Red Sox's number-one starter if he rebounds to his 2023 form, the Red Sox would land a do-everything position player in Dylan Moore, who bats righty and can plug and play just about anywhere. That's useful to have if Trevor Story gets hurt again, or if Boston is facing a tough lefty and wants to stack the deck.

For the Mariners, Casas is the big return piece, but Bleis and Romero are players the Red Sox simply don't need but still have high upside. Bleis was a Top-100 prospect before he ran into some struggles this season, and Romero has been on a home run tear since getting called up to Double-A.

You've got to give up something good to get something good, and Kirby has the potential to change the Red Sox's entire outlook for the 2025 season. There's always a chance trading high-upside prospects could blow up in Boston's face, but if they never try, they'll never know.

More MLB: Insider Says Red Sox Could Sign Astros Superstar, Trade Young Lefty Slugger