‘We’ve never seen this before’: MLB insider says Red Sox face free agent pitching challenge

Red Stockings

Boston is expected to join a crowded field of teams looking for a deep class of free-agent starting pitchers.

Blake Snell will play for the Padres in 2023. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

As Red Sox leadership takes a closer look at the offseason, one of the clearest priorities is starting pitching.

In 2023, Boston’s staff posted that quality starts 29 percent of the time, one of the lowest figures in the league. Addressing that will come in various forms, but free agency offers the Red Sox the quickest path to changing the dynamic in 2024.

The news on that front is somehow both good and bad, as baseball insider Jon Heyman explained during an interview on MLB Network on Wednesday.

“Luckily there are a lot of good pitchers on the market,” Heyman said. “That’s the one category that has a lot of talent, but I think there are about eight teams looking for multiple starting pitchers.”

Established starters like Aaron Nola, Blake Snell and a there are many more jars available. The free agent class is led by Shohei Ohtani, who can contribute to a team as both a pitcher and a hitter.

But for all the talent on the market, it may not be enough to meet the collective need across the league.

“We’ve never seen this before,” Heyman said of the number of teams interested in adding more than one starter. “These pitchers are in a very good situation.”

Heyman cited the Cardinals, Mets, Dodgers, Angels, Pirates, Cubs, Giants and finally mentioned the Red Sox.

“Boston is obviously another team that needs pitching,” he said.

Speculation has already started about who the Red Sox could pursue. Ohtani will be at the top of the list, and Boston is reportedly one of several teams interested in the 29-year-old superstar. Another Japanese talent, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (formerly of the Orix Buffaloes), could also be a potential target.

But as Heyman noted, the amount of available pitching could be misleading as each team tries to acquire multiple starters.

“There is some really good pitching, but the need really exceeds the supply right now.”