Report: Red Sox Showed Interest in Jonathan Sanchez Before Giants Traded Pitcher to Royals

The Red Sox could use some starting pitching help this season, and they may have kicked the tires on recently traded hurler Jonathan Sanchez.

Sanchez was dealt by the San Francisco Giants, along with minor league pitcher Ryan Verdugo, to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for outfielder Melky Cabrera on Monday. The Sox showed interest in Sanchez before the deal, according to WEEI.com’s Alex Speier, but Boston and San Francisco reportedly didn’t match up as trade partners.

Sanchez, a left-hander who turns 29 this month, went 4-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 19 starts last season, during which he was plagued by injuries.

In 2010, the lefty put together his best season, going 13-9 with a 3.07 ERA while helping the Giants win the World Series. Sanchez struck out 205 hitters in 193 1/3 innings that year.

Speier reports that the Sox had concerns about Sanchez’s ankle and his strike-throwing ability, which he struggled with last season. He posted a career-high 5.9 walks per nine innings.