Red Sox Reportedly Targeting One Frontline Starter Above All Others

Boston reportedly has their top priority set in free agency

Scott Neville | Nov 16, 2023

Red Sox Reportedly Targeting One Frontline Starter Above All Others /

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox will explore all options to bolster their rotation this winter but they reportedly have their sights set on one premier arm in free agency.

MLB.com's Ian Browne came on our very own ITM Podcast last year and dropped a major nugget regarding Nathan Eovaldi's final negotiations with Boston before he ultimately signed with the Texas Rangers.

One year later, he came back to reveal another key offseason storyline unfolding in front of our eyes.

"From what I've heard, (the Red Sox) like Montgomery more than they like (Blake) Snell, they like him more than they like (Aaron) Nola," Browne told Steve Perrault and Joey Copponi on Wednesday. "I think they just feel like he's the guy that they are really targeting. He might be a little more undervalued, although he did, obviously, boost his value in the playoffs, kind of like Derek Lowe in 2004 style."

Montgomery posted a 3.20 ERA with a 166-to-48 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .247 batting average against and 1.19 WHIP in 188 2/3 innings between his time with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers in 2023.

The southpaw went on to post a 4-2 record with a 2.90 ERA across 31 innings in the postseason on his way to winning a championship.

The 30-year-old will be one of the most highly-coveted starters this winter and the Red Sox would be wise to scoop him up. He's expected to sign a deal north of $100 million.

Browne noted the Red Sox's interest once again later in the show while also throwing another name to keep an eye on.

"I heard that Montgomery is the pitcher they really like out of the American pitchers," Browne reiterated. "They've been coy about what they want to do with (Yoshinobu) Yamamoto because he hasn't even been posted. He's not a free agent yet but I know that he's at the top of their list too. I really think they're going to come away with one of those two guys."

If Browne is right, the Red Sox will be in much better shape for the 2024 season. Boston could desperately use a frontline starter and appear to be well on their way to acquiring one.

Listen to the full conversation with Ian Browne. Click the share button to listen on Apple or Spotify, and don't forget to follow the feed to get notified when the latest episodes drop.

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Published Nov 16, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu