Red Sox 'Have Had Talks' With Cubs About Former No. 2 Overall Pick

Boston is searching for a starter and monitoring the situation in Chicago

Jun 15, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Red Sox graphics on a uniform during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox are talking with everyone these days amid their hunt for a starting pitcher, including the Chicago Cubs.

The Red Sox entered Sunday six and a half games back in the American League East and tied for the third in the final Wild Card spot with the Kansas City Royals.

The AL playoff race will be a nail-biter until the last days of the regular season, and Boston knows that it must add a starter to at least marginally improve its chances of gaining some separation in the standings.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is faced with a ton of options, and decision time looms near. Garrett Crochet is likely off the table for the Red Sox, and they might be focusing deadline efforts on a hurler for the middle or back end of the rotation like JP Sears.

Breslow is also interested in former No. 2 overall pick Jameson Taillon of the Cubs, as reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale on Sunday.

In an obvious effort to raise the price for Taillon, Chicago is also dangling Taillon in front of Boston’s rival the New York Yankees, per Nightengale.

“The Boston Red Sox and Yankees have had talks with the Chicago Cubs about starter Jameson Taillon, but the Cubs are undecided whether they will be buyers or sellers,” Nightengale said.

Taillon would be an enormous get for the Red Sox, especially as they are currently in danger of having to settle for acquiring a far less talented starter in the coming days.

At his best, Taillon has ace stuff and would be a formidable presence in Boston’s playoff rotation, which would suddenly look like a force to be reckoned with if Kutter Crawford keeps pitching at the level he’s been executing lately.

Tanner Houck, Crawford, and Taillon would give manager Alex Cora more than a fighter’s chance to not only make the playoffs but exceed expectations, as the Red Sox have done all season long.

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