Why Red Sox Insider 'Would Be Shocked' If Boston Doesn't Sign Another Star Free Agent

More big moves coming for the Red Sox?

Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) pitches during the first inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox added one starting pitcher already, but that was so last week of them.

Major League Baseball has moved on from the Garrett Crochet trade, and it's time the Red Sox do too. They still have a laundry list of needs to take care of for the rest of this winter. The real question is where another starting pitcher ranks among those needs.

Before the Crochet signing, the Red Sox were in on Max Fried, who eventually signed with the New York Yankees on a whopping eight-year, $218 million contract. Boston never added that eighth year, but were reportedly offering Fried a deal in the $190 million range.

Red Sox insider Alex Speier of the Boston Globe took heart from the Red Sox's near miss on Fried. He recently speculated that even though Boston had lost the bidding war, they'd proven they would continue looking for starting pitching help.

“That suggests they are willing to spend more on top talents in the market,” Speier said Tuesday onNESN’s “310 To Left” podcast.

“We’ll see whether or not that actually happens, but that tells you a lot about their thinking. And I would be shocked at this point if the Red Sox didn’t add another starter who they thought was at least capable of being a mid-rotation guy or better.”

In terms of specifics, Speier also offered up Walker Buehler, the former two-time All-Star for the Los Angeles Dodgers, as a potentially achievable target for the Red Sox this winter.

“A guy like Walker Buehler is almost the floor of what they seem to be pursuing for the rest of this offseason,” Speier said. “Buehler obviously has been a top of the rotation guy in the past."

Buehler would be a nice addition for the Red Sox, assuming they can't or don't want to spend the big bucks it will take to land former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. Frankly, though, there are a lot of good fits still out there on the market--it's just important to go out and land one of them.

More MLB: Here's What Red Sox Signing 4-Time All-Star Corbin Burnes Could Cost, Per MLB Insider