Three Veteran Starters Red Sox Should Target To Fill Innings Gap At Trade Deadline

[Randy Red Sox]

On 8/1/2026 at 2:46 PM, Old Red said:

Yes with a $10M buyout, but he hasn’t left yet, so he doesn’t need to be replaced. Bres may want him back especially since he has to pay $10M anyway.

i certainly would be looking to bring him back 100 %

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

i'd like to upgrade at C most.  i think we have enough in house options at SS. another SP and or reliever would be nice but not crucial. Despite our 2nd half i still don't think this our time.  I certainly do not trade any more our top prospects especially Arias or Eyvanson.

Is the upgrade replacing Narvaez or Wong? 

[mvp 78]

19 hours ago, Hugh2 said:

Keith law also had him ranked as a top 50 prospect back in 2024 or 2025 idk

Noted Red Sox hater was well above the curve on his love for Arias for a while. 

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

I remember a time when Houck looked really good out of the bullpen and thought he might be our future 8/9 inning guy. 

I thought he might morph into our closer as well.  He had a .570 OPS in relief.  We have a very good BP, but it's always nice to have someone in reserve.

[Hugh2]

33 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Noted Red Sox hater was well above the curve on his love for Arias for a while. 

It feels like Keith Law has flipped, in recent years he's been more in love with our prospects than a hater of. 

[mvp 78]

19 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

It feels like Keith Law has flipped, in recent years he's been more in love with our prospects than a hater of. 

IDK. He was right about Arias though, I'll give him that. This was before Arias showed any power whatsoever. 

[notin]

18 hours ago, Old Red said:

Good point. The Dodgers also have the best chance of keeping him.

Technically the Dodgers have the only chance at keeping him…

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

He also really slowed down in that 2024 season, he only looked like a really really good starter for 1/2 a season. 

I say keep him in the pen. 

I agree, but if we don't add a SP'er, someone has to take some starts from Bennett & Tolle.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Is the upgrade replacing Narvaez or Wong? 

I'd demote Narvaez. He needs to work on a few things, anyway. (Sept call-up?)

[Hugh2]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I agree, but if we don't add a SP'er, someone has to take some starts from Bennett & Tolle.

True, but he's still going to need some time to ramp up, if he's starting you're still looking at him giving innings in September.  If you want to start resting guys or eating up innings now you have to go get someone. 

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Hugh2 said:

True, but he's still going to need some time to ramp up, if he's starting you're still looking at him giving innings in September.  If you want to start resting guys or eating up innings now you have to go get someone. 

Yes, to me SP is priority #1 and  big bat is a close #2.

We do that and Houck in the pen sounds great.

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I agree, but if we don't add a SP'er, someone has to take some starts from Bennett & Tolle.

I wouldn't want it to be a guy coming off TJS like Houck. 

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I wouldn't want it to be a guy coming off TJS like Houck. 

I'd much prefer Houck begin in the pen, and we trade for a legit SP'er- likely a rental.

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I wouldn't want it to be a guy coming off TJS like Houck. 

I agree. You can’t wait, or even count on Houck to come back, and help. If you get anything out of him great, but that’s a Big if, and if anything from the pen.

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I agree. You can’t wait, or even count on Houck to come back, and help. If you get anything out of him great, but that’s a Big if, and if anything from the pen.

He's not even rehabbing in games right now. Expecting him to contribute is a lot. They were saying that Sandoval was going to contribute last season too. He didn't get into games until the last few weeks! 

[Nick]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

He also really slowed down in that 2024 season, he only looked like a really really good starter for 1/2 a season. 

I say keep him in the pen. 

I thought he made the All Star team. with his fast start.

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, Nick said:

I thought he made the All Star team. with his fast start.

Yes, then "he slowed down."

He had an ERA under 2 as late as June 12th.

He was at 2.18 on June 28th and 2.54 at the ASB.

He missed a few starts and ended the season at 4.23 (4.53 FIP) post ASB.

He was actually 4.42/4.83 after 6/28/24. (14 GS) Not ace material, but maybe the injury was there but not discovered yet.

[SoxPhan]

1 hour ago, Randy Red Sox said:

i'd like to upgrade at C most.  i think we have enough in house options at SS. another SP and or reliever would be nice but not crucial. Despite our 2nd half i still don't think this our time.  I certainly do not trade any more our top prospects especially Arias or Eyvanson.

Firmly in a playoff spot at the deadline. One of the most historic winning streaks/stretches in franchise history, book-ended with sweeps of the Dodgers and Yankees. One of the best pitching staffs in baseball. 

Randy Red Sox - "it's just not our time" 

🤣🤣

[moonslav59]

Pitchers:

Rentals: Mize, Holmes, R Ray, Griffin, Trevor Rogers, Morejon, Singer

1+ Years: Detmers (arb through '28) Hancock (through '30) Kirby ('28) Greene ('29)

Bats: 

Rentals: Jeffers, G Torres, B Lowe, Springer, T Stephenson, Arozarena, Taylor Ward, Nootbar

1+ years: Abrams ('28) F Alvarez ('29) Lopez ('29) Neto ('29 ) Goodman ('29) Herrera ('29) Rutschman ('27) H Ramos ('29) Adell ('27) Robert Jr ('27)

 

[mvp 78]

24 minutes ago, SoxPhan said:

Firmly in a playoff spot at the deadline. One of the most historic winning streaks/stretches in franchise history, book-ended with sweeps of the Dodgers and Yankees. One of the best pitching staffs in baseball. 

Randy Red Sox - "it's just not our time" 

🤣🤣

It's one of the most historic stretches in MLB history. No team has come from 14 under .500 and ended the season more than 2 games above .500. 

[mvp 78]

25 minutes ago, SoxPhan said:

Firmly in a playoff spot at the deadline. One of the most historic winning streaks/stretches in franchise history, book-ended with sweeps of the Dodgers and Yankees. One of the best pitching staffs in baseball. 

Randy Red Sox - "it's just not our time" 

🤣🤣

Crochet is out. Anthony is out. I can see the argument TBH. 

[SoxPhan]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It's one of the most historic stretches in MLB history. No team has come from 14 under .500 and ended the season more than 2 games above .500. 

Very true. But Randy Red Sox says it’s not our time, so there’s that. Oh well, there’s always next year I guess. Lmao 

[SoxPhan]

7 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Crochet is out. Anthony is out. I can see the argument TBH. 

We have done great without them. We have 2 all-star SP’s. Everyone has injuries to overcome. We have shown we can beat anyone. 

[mvp 78]

14 minutes ago, SoxPhan said:

We have done great without them. We have 2 all-star SP’s. Everyone has injuries to overcome. We have shown we can beat anyone. 

I don't think the Sox would see Sheehan or a bullpen game in the WS TBH. 

[JoeBrady]

50 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Crochet is out. Anthony is out. I can see the argument TBH. 

We likely won't get it, nor should we, but having more certainty would help the trade outlook.  Anthony in early September, and Crochet in late September, and I'd be inclined to ride with whom we have.

[SoxPhan]

48 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I don't think the Sox would see Sheehan or a bullpen game in the WS TBH. 

No, definitely not. To be clear. I am not in favour of selling the farm to go for it this year. But I do think there are some good reinforcements out there for good value. This team has earned some help. To just sit back and say it's not our year is crazy to me. 

I will be upset if we trade Arias or Eyanson for Neto. But Abrams or Goodman and I'm listening. 

[mvp 78]

36 minutes ago, SoxPhan said:

No, definitely not. To be clear. I am not in favour of selling the farm to go for it this year. But I do think there are some good reinforcements out there for good value. This team has earned some help. To just sit back and say it's not our year is crazy to me. 

I will be upset if we trade Arias or Eyanson for Neto. But Abrams or Goodman and I'm listening. 

I'm not interested in an overpay on Abrams or Goodman. I agree with your point on good value. 

[SoxPhan]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I'm not interested in an overpay on Abrams or Goodman. I agree with your point on good value. 

Yeah, I'm not going overboard for either. At most I would consider a deal headlined by Arias or Eyanson, but not both. The price on either is probably too rich for me, but if it didn't cost both those guys I'm at least exploring it. If we have Rutschman, than obvs Goodman is probably not happening anyway(not that I ever really thought it was).

[SoxPhan]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I'm not interested in an overpay on Abrams or Goodman. I agree with your point on good value. 

That's why I like Springer and Singer. Best bang for your buck that I see out there. Plus, I'm only interested in guys who's names end with inger. 😅

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, SoxPhan said:

That's why I like Springer and Singer. Best bang for your buck that I see out there. Plus, I'm only interested in guys who's names end with inger. 😅

Damn! I was hoping we traded for Felix Unger.