The Red Sox have been busy adding arms this offseason, bringing in Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo through trades. But they’re still missing that true No. 2 starter to pair with Garrett Crochet.
There’s one move that could change everything. FanSided’s Christopher Kline thinks Boston should make a run at Washington’s MacKenzie Gore, the All-Star lefty who’s quietly become one of the game’s better strikeout pitchers.
“The Boston Red Sox made their first major swing of the offseason, acquiring Sonny Gray from St. Louis. He’s an instant Boston fan favorite with his Yankees bad blood, but is Gray a true No. 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet? Ideally not at this stage of his career. Boston still has the ammo to go out and get another weapon. Gore’s cheap, controllable contract makes him an especially appealing option. Boston could wield two of the nastiest left-handed pitchers in MLB come October. Crochet and Gore are strikeout machines; Gray suddenly looks much better as the No. 3. This is a huge win for Boston, and for Gore, who gets a chance to contend at the highest level.”
Gore’s 2024 numbers tell an interesting story. He finished with a 4.17 ERA and 185 strikeouts over 159 innings, but that doesn’t capture how well he pitched early in the season. At the All-Star break, Gore was sitting on a 3.08 ERA with 138 strikeouts – the kind of performance that earned him his first Midsummer Classic nod.
The real appeal here isn’t just Gore’s stuff, though the 25-year-old lefty can miss bats. It’s the contract situation.
Boston would control Gore for two more years at under $10 million annually. That’s the kind of deal that gives you flexibility to address other needs while locking up quality rotation depth. And if things work out? They’d be in prime position to discuss a long-term extension before he hits free agency.
What makes this move interesting is how it’d reshape their rotation. Pairing Gore with Crochet gives you two strikeout lefties at the top, while Gray slides into that No. 3 role where his experience becomes even more valuable.
The window for a move like this might be closing though. Gore’s combination of performance and affordability means Washington’s phone is probably ringing regularly. Boston’s got the prospect capital to make a compelling offer, but they’ll need to move quickly.
From where I’m sitting, this feels like the kind of calculated risk the Red Sox should be taking. Gore’s not a sure thing, but he’s got the upside to be that missing piece in their rotation puzzle.
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