After pursuing Juan Soto, much of the Boston Red Sox’s offseason buzz has revolved around potential upgrades to their starting rotation. Following an 81-81 season—their best win total since 2021—the team grappled with inconsistent performances from its starters. Notably, Tanner Houck was the only member of the rotation to post an ERA under 4.00.
Kutter Crawford emerged as the rotation’s workhorse, starting all 33 games he was tasked with and leading the team with 183 2/3 innings pitched. However, his performance left room for improvement, as he surrendered a league-high 34 home runs, including a troubling stretch between July 21 and August 7 when he gave up 13 homers in just four starts (18 2/3 innings).
Crawford also topped the league in losses with 16, compared to nine wins. Meanwhile, Brayan Bello led the team in victories with 14 but also had his challenges. He posted a middling 4.49 ERA and an unremarkable 1.361 WHIP.
Red Sox in Market for a True Number One
The main issue for the Red Sox was their lack of a true ace — a dominant, top-of-the-rotation starter who consistently gives the team a strong chance to win. The team has been linked to top free-agent pitchers on the market, including former Braves lefty Max Fried and Orioles righty Corbin Burnes.
However, there’s another pitcher who might be the most talented arm available, even though he hasn’t thrown a single MLB pitch — and technically, he’s not a free agent yet.
That pitcher is 23-year-old Roki Sasaki, who has spent the past four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan’s Pacific League. Sasaki also starred on the 2023 World Baseball Classic-winning Japanese national team, earning a win in two starts while striking out 11 and allowing three earned runs over 7 2/3 innings.
According to MLB.com, Sasaki’s fastball rates a 70 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale — with some scouts even willing to give it a rare 80. His fastball has been clocked at an eye-popping 102 mph.
Why Boston Might Attract Roki Sasaki
Sasaki is expected to be officially posted by his Japanese team in January, which will make him eligible to sign with any Major League Baseball team. The Red Sox, along with at least six other teams, have reportedly shown interest in the star pitcher. According to MLB.com’s analysis of his potential market, Boston ranks among the top destinations for Sasaki, largely due to the city’s marketing opportunities rather than purely baseball reasons.
“In New York, Sasaki would face competition for the spotlight from Yankees superstar Aaron Judge — and potentially Juan Soto, depending on his free agency decision — as well as the Mets and their standout shortstop Francisco Lindor,” the MLB.com report noted. “Boston, however, offers a major market with plenty of opportunities.”
However, Baseball America presented a less favorable outlook for Boston’s chances, ranking the Red Sox only seventh among the seven teams they believe are in contention for Sasaki’s services.
Once the Chiba Lotte Marines officially post Sasaki, he will have 45 days to finalize a deal with an MLB team. Since Sasaki has fewer than six professional seasons under his belt, he will be subject to rules capping bonuses for international players, meaning his contract is unlikely to match the record-setting deals of current MLB free agents.
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