Red Sox 'Kept The Door Open' On Possible $200+ Million Garrett Crochet Partner

Could the Red Sox add another massive piece to the starting rotation?

May 8, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A Baltimore Orioles hat and glove rest on the dugout rail during a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images / Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

No matter what happens throughout the rest of the offseason, the Boston Red Sox's starting rotation is in a better position than it was in.

Boston still currently has its core starters for 2025 in Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford. The Red Sox should be getting Lucas Giolito back on the hill this upcoming season and Boston also landed 25-year-old All-Star Garrett Crochet in a blockbuster deal with the Chicago White Sox.

Clearly, the Red Sox are on the rise. With a few months to go until Spring Training, though, it still makes sense to keep an eye on the market and maybe even bring in another starter as well. That's where former Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes could come into play.

He's the best free agent available and still is out there. Will he land with Boston? It's unknown at this point, but Boston has "kept the door open" on a possible move, according to the Boston Globe's Alex Speier.

"The Red Sox have kept the door open on the top remaining free agent, right-hander Corbin Burnes — who ranks third in the big leagues in innings over the last three years (590) and second among starters in ERA (2.88) over the last five years," Speier said. However, the acquisition of Crochet might diminish the pressure to get drawn into a bidding war on Burnes."

If the price reaches a level Boston is comfortable with, why not? It would be a fantastic move. He will be expensive no matter what, though. Burnes is the best pitcher who hit free agency this offseason. Blake Snell got $182 million and Max Fried got $218 million. Burnes likely will get more than either of the other two.

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