Red Sox 'Ideal' Fit For Star In Line For $136M If He Cuts Ties With Braves

The Red Sox certainly need to add one more starting pitcher

Apr 10, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of an Atlanta Braves hat on the field during batting practice at Truist Park. The game against the New York Mets was postponed due to impending weather. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox's starting rotation clearly needs some work.

Boston needs to add one more starter this offseason -- and preferably a left-handed one -- this winter if it wants to contend in 2025. This is a big issue for the Red Sox right now but has been overshadowed by the team's pursuit of star slugger Juan Soto.

The Red Sox surprisingly have been in the mix for him and it seems like there's at least a small chance he could come to Boston. If Soto has any interest in the Red Sox, Boston should put everything else on the back burner.

Once the Soto sweepstakes ends, though, the Red Sox need pitching and The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal called Boston an "ideal" fit for Atlanta Braves star Max Fried.

"This is a team that has a clear and obvious deficiency," Rosenthal said. "They have all of these position prospects coming, they're in really good shape overall. So I can see them trading for a starting pitcher, maybe (Garrett Crochet). I can see them signing a starting pitcher. Fried or (Blake Snell) would be ideal.

Fried is a guy that really could make a ton of sense. He is just 30 years old and has a career 3.07 ERA in eight years. The two-time All-Star has a connection to Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito and is projected to get a $136 million deal across six seasons by Spotrac. That number could rise due to competition, but he makes almost too much sense.

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