The Boston Red Sox are entering this upcoming offseason with a few clear needs, including top-end starting pitching talent.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow will have multiple avenues to explore in the coming weeks and months between free agency and trades.
Late last week, ESPN's Dave Schoenfield listed Boston as one of the top three landing spots for Atlanta Braves starter Max Fried.
"Fried probably will command at least a $100 million deal -- see Aaron Nola 's seven-year, $172 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies last offseason -- so that's going to limit other top options to only the richest teams," Schoenfield wrote. "Of course, the Red Sox haven't been in that category the past few seasons, but they could use a top-of-the-rotation starter (and a lefty at that to go alongside all of their righties). But maybe they'll look for more second-tier starters the way they did last season when they signed Lucas Giolito (who had Tommy John surgery and missed the season)."
Fried is coming off of his second All-Star campaign where he posted a 3.25 ERA and a 1.164 WHIP while striking out 166 batters over 29 starts (174 1/3 innings).
According to Spotrac, he's expected to receive a $136.3 million contract over six years this offseason.
Schoenfield listed the Texas Rangers as the best fit and the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers as among the best remaining with Boston.
The Dodgers would probably be the more logical of the options considering they just won, but the Red Sox have the benefit of Giolito playing high school baseball with Fried.
Boston's projected ace already said he's working on getting his former teammate to join him in Boston, so they might have a better chance than expected.
