The Red Sox have turned their attention to their obvious need for starting pitching, and they’re apparently looking at someone they’ve been previously interested in.
FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that Boston is in “serious discussions” with free-agent starting pitcher Ryan Dempster.
That is obviously incredibly vague, but it’s that time of the year, so you have to go with it.
[tweet https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/278917624140808192 align=’center’]
It’s worth noting that Dempster has reportedly sought a three-year deal. The 35-year-old has also reportedly turned down an offer from the Red Sox. ESPN.com recently reported that Dempster turned down a two-year, $25 million offer from the club.
The Red Sox are familiar with Dempster, according to multiple reports that surfaced around the 2012 deadline. The club reportedly pursued a trade to acquire Dempster from the Cubs before Chicago opted to ship him to Texas.
Dempster went 12-8 last season in splitting time with the Cubs and Rangers. He posted a 3.38 ERA for the season, but he had a 5.09 ERA in his 12 starts with the Rangers.
The veteran right-hander has a 11-15 career record against American League teams in 50 career appearances (35 starts). He has a 4.63 ERA in those games, allowing more than a hit per inning.
