Should Red Sox Take Flyer On Newly Available Former All-Star Pitcher?

What should the Red Sox do about the starting rotation?

The Boston Red Sox could be in the market for more pitching depth. 

Boston has had a roller coaster of a start to the 2023 campaign and currently sits at 9-10 through the first 19 games of the season. The Red Sox's starting rotation has been one of the biggest reasons for the club's inconsistent start to the season. 

The Red Sox have dealt with a plethora of injuries to begin the season and Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello, and James Paxton all have missed time. Whitlock and Bello are back in the rotation and Paxton should be back soon but there's still work to do. Chris Sale and Corey Kluber both have ERAs over 8.00 and Nick Pivetta, Tanner Houck, and Whitlock all sit at 4.50. 

If the Red Sox were looking to take a chance on an external candidate to add more depth, one player the club could look into is former San Francisco Giants hurler Madison Bumgarner. 

The four-time All-Star has spent the last four years with the Arizona Diamondbacks but reportedly was designated for assignment by the club Thursday afternoon, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. If Bumgarner isn't traded or claimed off waivers, he will be able to sign with any MLB club for the league minimum. 

Boston seemingly has a surplus of starting pitchers but adding another veteran on a minor-league deal could never hurt. Bumgarner has plenty of postseason experience and won a World Series Most Valuable Player award as a member of the San Francisco Giants. If he could a club and find his form at the minor-league level, he could provide solid depth for a World Series contender. 

Bumgarner certainly has struggled to open the 2023 campaign and has compiled a 10.26 ERA in four starts, but he is just 33-years-old and could rebound. The lefty had a 4.88 ERA in 2022 and 4.67 ERA in 2021. If he could get back to that level, it would be enough to be a back-of-the-rotation starting pitcher. If he was moved to the bullpen that also could give him another pathway to success. 

The former Giants great at one point was one of the best left-handed pitchers in all of baseball. He's not at the same level anymore, but potentially could still help a club in the right situation. Maybe Boston could be that spot. 

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