Red Sox 2025 Starting Rotation

[mvp 78]

 

[Larry Cook]

Crochet - legitimate number 1 starter. Ace!!!

giolita - dumpster fire!!  🔥 excellent guy to include in a July trade! 
beaulher - mystery man!!  Could be decent or could suck! Total mystery every time he takes the mound!  Definite July trade bait!!! 
dobbins - Cinderella rookie, has pitched much better than I thought possible But when does the clock strike midnight! 
Bello - the nibbler is a bullpen killer!!!! Should be a bullpen star next season. 

not a playoff worthy rotation. 
 

extra pieces : 

fitts - decent stuff, needs to throw a few games in Worcester to get the arm strength and movement back! 
houck - currently suffering from a dead arm. Needs a full rehab schedule to start getting command and control back!!! 
 

I think this offseason, we need to make a high impact pitching  trade (similar to crochet) and sign a high quality free agent pitcher, and move the average starters to the bullpen 

 

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

Could giolito be DFA'd?

Red Sox Vet's Latest Disastrous Start Should Spell End of Time in Boston

[mvp 78]

 

[Larry Cook]

Our starting rotation is a dumpster fire after crochet. 
does Pittsburgh really want to trade skenes????

[Nick]

We just gave up 9 9 7 7 runs yet won 3 out of 4. Offense can't keep this up.

Pitching has to get better.

[cp176]

Anyone who has watched Dobbins pitch this year has to be impressed.  

[Nick]

34 minutes ago, cp176 said:

Anyone who has watched Dobbins pitch this year has to be impressed.  

Thanks for that observation.

He did not walk a batter in 5 innings. His pitch count was relatively low.

If you can"t throw strikes, you are not a major league pitcher.

I am impressed.

[mvp 78]

2 hours ago, cp176 said:

Anyone who has watched Dobbins pitch this year has to be impressed.  

For a guy that was 8-9th on the depth chart, he's really holding his own. 

[Kimmi]

13 hours ago, Nick said:

We just gave up 9 9 7 7 runs yet won 3 out of 4. Offense can't keep this up.

Pitching has to get better.

Definitely, starting pitching has to get better.  It would be nice not to be in a hole after the first inning.

That said, I am in total shock that our offense has scored so many runs in the last 4 games.  Shocked!

[cp176]

8 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

For a guy that was 8-9th on the depth chart, he's really holding his own. 

He’s probably a long way from a finished product but he is big kid with a powerful arm.  I’ve been really impressed with him and his command of the strike zone.  

[Larry Cook]

9 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

For a guy that was 8-9th on the depth chart, he's really holding his own. 

No doubt dobbins has exceeded expectations!! 
Maybe Cora can ease up on the quick hook??

no one wants to see stock or Kelly pitching except at mop up time 

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

Walker Buehler seems to call out Red Sox, refute Alex Cora after latest blowup

[Larry Cook]

Time to move buehler before we get buehlered again!!!! 

[mvp 78]

Gio is going to be really close to the 140 IP. 

[vegasbob]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Gio is going to be really close to the 140 IP. 

Barring injury as a cause to miss the 140 IP mark, would Breslow instruct Cora to hold Gio back at any time strictly for contractual purposes ?  How would Giolito react to being manipulated, if  it comes to that ?

Personally, I do not think the FO would do that type of a move, especially if Sox were in contention.  If they were out of the WC chase in mid September, then all bets are off .

[vegasbob]

On 6/30/2025 at 12:11 PM, Larry Cook said:

Time to move buehler before we get buehlered again!!!! 

Despite pitching being a #1 priority and scarcity, I think Breslow would have to take advantage of moving Buehler , maybe in a package, to get a real upgrade starter or reliever, especially one with some contractual control.

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

Barring injury as a cause to miss the 140 IP mark, would Breslow instruct Cora to hold Gio back at any time strictly for contractual purposes ?  How would Giolito react to being manipulated, if  it comes to that ?

Personally, I do not think the FO would do that type of a move, especially if Sox were in contention.  If they were out of the WC chase in mid September, then all bets are off .

Other teams have done it. I think Giolito really sees himself as wanting to stay and may actually take the 19M mutual if offered. I believe he feels like he owes it to BOS for missing last season. I don't know what Cora would do down the stretch if it gets close. He either messes it up with a few early blowouts or cruises past the 140 numbers. If he's coming down to the final start with 132 IP, I'd be rooting for him to blow the doors off the other team and pitch a CG. 

[Larry Cook]

18 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Other teams have done it. I think Giolito really sees himself as wanting to stay and may actually take the 19M mutual if offered. I believe he feels like he owes it to BOS for missing last season. I don't know what Cora would do down the stretch if it gets close. He either messes it up with a few early blowouts or cruises past the 140 numbers. If he's coming down to the final start with 132 IP, I'd be rooting for him to blow the doors off the other team and pitch a CG. 

And then his agent talks some nonsense into his ear and away he goes!!!

[Kimmi]

56 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Other teams have done it. I think Giolito really sees himself as wanting to stay and may actually take the 19M mutual if offered. I believe he feels like he owes it to BOS for missing last season. I don't know what Cora would do down the stretch if it gets close. He either messes it up with a few early blowouts or cruises past the 140 numbers. If he's coming down to the final start with 132 IP, I'd be rooting for him to blow the doors off the other team and pitch a CG. 

I would happily take Giolito back next season for $19M and would much rather see him return under those terms than under the other.  If the Red Sox manipulate Gio's innings to purposely make him miss the 140 IP, would he be happy about returning to the Sox under a team option?  I very much doubt it.  I really hope it doesn't come down to that. 

[Larry Cook]

I think bres-slow has the players and prospects available to pry Ryan from the twins and painter from the Phillies at the trade deadline!!

desperate Dave needs an all-star outfielder and an all-star lefty reliever and an all-star third basemen to be a World Series team!!!  We have those available. 

The twins will need a lot of near ready or ready prospects. We have a lot of that as well!  
 

 

[Soxlover]

8 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

I think bres-slow has the players and prospects available to pry Ryan from the twins and painter from the Phillies at the trade deadline!!

desperate Dave needs an all-star outfielder and an all-star lefty reliever and an all-star third basemen to be a World Series team!!!  We have those available. 

The twins will need a lot of near ready or ready prospects. We have a lot of that as well!  
 

 

Not sure brez sells to get Painter.

not sure he offers what Min wants for Ryan, but I’d love to get him. I remember suggesting we trade for him last winter.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

14 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

I think bres-slow has the players and prospects available to pry Ryan from the twins and painter from the Phillies at the trade deadline!!

desperate Dave needs an all-star outfielder and an all-star lefty reliever and an all-star third basemen to be a World Series team!!!  We have those available. 

If Duran, Chapman and Bregman can carry a team to the World Series, then why not us?

Painter is still just a prospect, like Kyle Harrison, recently a top-rated lefty pitching prospect. Their minor league ERAs this year are nearly identical: Painter at 4.79, Harrison at 4.85.

If Breslow is just going to add prospect depth, then he can deal from his own prospect depth -- like middle infielders. He can acquire a platoon bat, and a few arms for marginal talent, just like the Sox do every summer.

Boston isn't likely to get any pitchers better than Houck or Harrison for the stretch run. Might as well give them a shot and see if they can catch Tampa for 3rd place... by the end of this month, the Rays play almost two-thirds of their remaining games on the road.

[mvp 78]

15 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

I think bres-slow has the players and prospects available to pry Ryan from the twins and painter from the Phillies at the trade deadline!!

desperate Dave needs an all-star outfielder and an all-star lefty reliever and an all-star third basemen to be a World Series team!!!  We have those available. 

The twins will need a lot of near ready or ready prospects. We have a lot of that as well!  

What near ready prospects? I guess pitchers? Are the Sox WS contenders in '26 or '27? Is that what the trade is being made for? 

[Soxlover]

I could see Brez trade Duran, perhaps with a prospect or two for a pitching prospect, then go into buy mode, without parting with any rookies or Tolle.

[drewski6]

18 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Other teams have done it. I think Giolito really sees himself as wanting to stay and may actually take the 19M mutual if offered. I believe he feels like he owes it to BOS for missing last season. I don't know what Cora would do down the stretch if it gets close. He either messes it up with a few early blowouts or cruises past the 140 numbers. If he's coming down to the final start with 132 IP, I'd be rooting for him to blow the doors off the other team and pitch a CG. 

Thats bad agent letting that happen. Id go scorched earth.

[drewski6]

17 hours ago, Kimmi said:

I would happily take Giolito back next season for $19M and would much rather see him return under those terms than under the other.  If the Red Sox manipulate Gio's innings to purposely make him miss the 140 IP, would he be happy about returning to the Sox under a team option?  I very much doubt it.  I really hope it doesn't come down to that. 

Agreed, but mutual options are so rarely executed. Hes not coming back next year on 1 yrs at 19. Well he might but it wont be because the mutual option was triggered, it will be  fresh contract.

[drewski6]

17 hours ago, Kimmi said:

I would happily take Giolito back next season for $19M and would much rather see him return under those terms than under the other.  If the Red Sox manipulate Gio's innings to purposely make him miss the 140 IP, would he be happy about returning to the Sox under a team option?  I very much doubt it.  I really hope it doesn't come down to that. 

I do appreciate your mentality.  I dont jump for joy when a player gets trapped into such a team friendly deal that hes just trapped for life (get scottie pippen'd).  But I guess I do lvoe me a contract that works for both sides (even if its slightly more favorable to the team than the player, but key word is slightly)

Hey look Kimmi, looks like you dont exclusively root for "the laundry" (which you shouldnt and you dont).  

[drewski6]

18 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

And then his agent talks some nonsense into his ear and away he goes!!!

advising his client to do what is in his clients best interest is not nonsense.  

[drewski6]

18 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Other teams have done it. I think Giolito really sees himself as wanting to stay and may actually take the 19M mutual if offered. I believe he feels like he owes it to BOS for missing last season. I don't know what Cora would do down the stretch if it gets close. He either messes it up with a few early blowouts or cruises past the 140 numbers. If he's coming down to the final start with 132 IP, I'd be rooting for him to blow the doors off the other team and pitch a CG. 

Very small percentage chance , he takes it.  What he might do is a sign a fresh 19m/yr contract with incentives w a player only option the following year. Mutual options are pointless (w rare exception)