Boston

Red Sox

Crawford was projected my MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $3.5 million via arbitration, so at a glance it looks like the team may have secured a nice discount here. Crawford was wildly inconsistent during the 2024 season, but looked completely unhittable at times while compiling a 4.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and a 175/51 K/BB ratio over 183 2/3 innings in his 33 starts. He’ll once again be a key cog in a refurbished Red Sox’ rotation in 2025.

The 28-year-old right-hander had been projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $4.5 million via arbitration, so it looks like the team got a bit of a discount on this one. Houck was terrific for the Red Sox in 2024, registering a 3.12 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 154/48 K/BB ratio across 178 2/3 innings in his 30 starts. Fantasy managers don’t seem to be buying a full repeat performance from Houck in 2025, as his ADP currently sits just outside the top 200 picks overall.

There are plenty of rumors right now swirling around the Red Sox and Nolan Arenado, but Morosi reported that the Red Sox might instead look to swing a trade that bolsters their rotation. Alcantara would be quite a get for the Red Sox and considering Triston Casas is reportedly available, it would make sense to have a trade centered around those two players. Alcantara is 29 years old and missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he is one of the top pitchers in baseball with a career 3.32 ERA in 900 2/3 innings. If he were to end up in Boston alongside Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Tanner Houck, it would give them one of the better rotations in baseball.

This was expected when the Red Sox traded four prospects to get Crochet back in December, but we now have reports that the conversations have begun. The left-hander has two more years of arbitration before he becomes a free agent, but Cotillo suggests that the Red Sox are trying to lock Crochet into a longer-term contract before those arbitration years expire. In his first year as a full-time starting pitcher, Crochet posted a 3.58 ERA and a 35.1 percent strikeout rate while showcasing the ability to be one of the top starters in baseball.

The Cubs and Blue Jays are among the other teams known to have interest in Minter, who is coming off hip surgery. It’s interesting that there’s been little talk about him going back to the Braves, even though there are indications Atlanta would be willing to spend on a setup man. Minter has been one of the best in baseball the last five years, amassing a 2.85 ERA in 243 innings since 2020.

The Arlington native, who has said that 2025 would probably be his final season, turned down more money from the Red Sox and likely others to pitch for his hometown team. He previously pitched for the Rangers in 2018 and ’19.

There’s zero indication that the Cardinals are close to finalizing a potential deal, but Denton adds that the Red Sox have emerged as a strong contender to land Arenado. Boston has been linked to free agent Alex Bregman throughout the offseason, but it’s unclear whether there’s any traction there at this juncture. The presence of franchise cornerstone Rafael Devers at the hot corner, and emerging slugger Triston Casas at first base, further complicate matters from a fit standpoint. There’s also the matter of how much of Arenado’s contract, which still has three years and roughly $74 million left on it, the Cardinals would have to absorb to facilitate a deal. Stay tuned.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said a week ago that Triston Casas isn’t being shopped in trade discussions, but I guess other general managers feel differently. Perhaps the Red Sox are listening and “willing” to trade Casas but aren’t actively “shopping” him. That could make both of these reports correct. Cotillo mentioned Casas while discussing that the Red Sox appear to be Nolan Arenado’s preferred destination. It seems like all of these Casas rumors stem from the fact that Rafael Devers’ defense at third base has gotten to the point where the Red Sox would rather move him to first base for the foreseeable future. Coming off an injury-marred season, Casas’ value is pretty low, so the Red Sox may be better off waiting before they decide if he’s their long-term future at first base or if that needs to be Devers.

The Cardinals had a deal in place a few weeks ago to send the veteran third baseman to the Astros, but Arenado utilized his no-trade clause and vetoed the deal. It’s unclear how strong the Red Sox’ interest is in acquiring Arenado, but if they do put a package together and work something out with the Cardinals, Arenado would not block the trade. The Red Sox would have to move Rafael Devers either to first base or to a full-time designated hitter role if acquiring Arenado, and it’s unclear if that’s something they are actually exploring.

Breslow doesn’t have much of a choice here when talking to reporters, so we’re not dismissing the possibility that Casas winds up departing prior to spring training. However, those odds appear to be evaporating quickly after the club went out in the last few weeks and swung a trade for White Sox ace Garrett Crochet before signing free agent Walker Buehler.