The Red Sox are shopping starting pitchers after landing Ranger Suarez on a $130 million deal, and three names keep coming up in trade talks around the league.
Bryan Bello and Patrick Sandoval are the starters getting the most attention, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Jordan Hicks, who’s worked as both a starter and reliever, is also being discussed in potential deals.
“Bello and Sandoval are among the starters who’ve surfaced in trade talks, according to a league source,” McCaffrey writes, “while reliever Jordan Hicks has also been discussed.”
It makes sense Boston’s willing to move these guys. They’re solid arms, but they’re not irreplaceable pieces of the rotation going forward.
The Red Sox want to hang onto their younger pitchers like Peyton Tolle and Connelly Early. Those two have more upside and could anchor the rotation for years.
Bello and Sandoval? They’re valuable enough to bring back something useful in a trade, but expendable enough that Boston won’t lose sleep over moving them.
What’s driving this is their need for infield help. The Red Sox are looking for a second baseman or third baseman, with Marcelo Mayer expected to fill whichever spot they don’t address this winter.
Hicks adds another wrinkle since he’s got experience as a starter and reliever. That versatility could make him attractive to teams looking for pitching depth.
All things considered, these three names seem to be the Red Sox’s primary trade chips right now. Other pitchers might come up in conversations, but Bello, Sandoval, and Hicks are the guys Boston’s most willing to part with to upgrade their infield.
