The Boston Red Sox are predicted to trade one of their outfielders for a controllable starter capable of being a "bona fide No. 2" behind Garret Crochet.
Red Sox Predicted to Trade One of Their Outfielders for Controllable Starter originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Boston Red Sox are in the market for a starting pitcher this MLB trade deadline. But, they aren't expected to settle for a cheap rental. Boston is linked to some of the top arms on the market.
To land such a starter, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic predicts that the Red Sox will make a huge trade at this year's deadline. McCaffrey predicts, "An outfielder will be moved for a controllable starter."
"This year," McCaffrey writes, "If they plan to contend in the postseason as they've said they do, they need a bona fide No. 2 - not a mid-tier option - to slide between Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello. Here's predicting they trade an outfielder (among others) to get a controllable starter who's a better fit this time around."
Last season, Boston landed James Paxton, who was hurt shortly thereafter. But this season, the Red Sox need to target a higher-profile starter, ideally, one who could form a one-two punch with Crochet atop the rotation.
To acquire such a starter, McCaffrey predicts the Red Sox will move an outfielder. The one most often linked to, and predicted to be traded, is 2024 All-Star MVP Jarren Duran.
Duran hasn't been as incredible as he was a year ago, but he's still a strong hitter. He has a .258 batting average with a .749 OPS and 107 OPS+. He's an above-average hitter, and he leads the league in triples.
His speed, hit tool, and years of control (through 2028) make him a very appealing trade target for teams around baseball. The only issue is that the teams interested in Duran are contenders and won't easily give up a starter.
Boston will need to get creative in landing a quality starting pitcher. The best way to land such a player is by moving one of their outfielders. Duran is the most likely trade candidate, as his name has often been floating in trade rumors this season.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
