The Boston Red Sox already have added one All-Star starting pitcher this offseason, but could another make sense as well?
Sonny Gray is a guy who is going to be a big help for the Red Sox in 2026. He isn’t on a long-term deal, but he should be a significant piece for the organization for this coming season at least. Gray is a three-time All-Star with a career 3.58 ERA in 339 total big league appearances. That’s what Boston needs.
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Should the Boston Red Sox call the Kansas City Royals?
What should excite fans is the fact that Boston was able to get the deal done with the St. Louis Cardinals without offloading any of its outfield talent. Also, the Red Sox didn’t offload any of their most exciting prospects. Brandon Clarke was a good prospect for the Red Sox, but he isn’t a game-changer, especially if things work out with Gray.
Boston still has plenty of ammo left to make another deal if it sees fit. Red Sox insider Alex Speier of the Boston Globe raised some eyebrows on Saturday as well. Speier called the Kansas City Royals one of the “most interesting” potential trade partners for Boston while noting that the Royals had interest in Jarren Duran and that no one is off limits, including starter Cole Ragans.
“For teams that are in the market for high-end starting pitching and willing to deal big league talent to get it, the Royals represent one of the most interesting potential trade partners of the offseason,” Speier wrote. “Kansas City isn’t hiding its willingness to deal a rotation member for an outfielder. ‘Our starting pitching, we have some depth there,’ said Royals general manager J.J. Piccolo. ‘A lot of teams are looking for starting pitching, so if we have what they may be interested in, and they have an outfielder that would be of interest, then there’s potentially the opportunity to make a deal.’
“Is anyone, including left-hander Cole Ragans, off limits? ‘I wouldn’t say off limits,’ said Piccolo, who noted that the Royals were reluctant to deal either Seth Lugo or Michael Wacha after the two veteran right-handers committed to them via free agency. ‘There would have to be a really big return for one (starter) in particular.’ That starter, of course, is Ragans. Though the Royals would prefer a right-handed-hitting outfielder, they won’t be tethered to the notion — making their considerable interest in Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran at the trade deadline notable.”
Ragans is 27 years old and won’t be a free agent until 2029. In 2025, he made just 13 starts and had a 4.67 ERA. In 2024, though, he had a 3.14 ERA in 32 starts and was an All-Star. If he’s healthy and the Red Sox could get a guy like that for Duran, it’s worth a conversation.
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