Three Players Red Sox Could Target If Pirates Host Fire Sale

The Boston Red Sox remain in the hunt for a wild card spot in the American League. At 53-47, the team is two games out of the playoff picture with the chance to add at the trade deadline if the momentum continues.

Boston has multiple areas of pitching to pursue and has the chance to address the need next week.

Among teams that are potential sellers, the Pittsburgh Pirates have regressed after a 20-9 start to the season that made headlines in the National League Central. Arms could become available, as reported by John Heyman of the New York Post.

Here are three players the Red Sox could pursue if the Pirates host a fire sale in the coming days.

David Bednar
Bednar would likely cost the most out of these Pittsburgh possibilities, but the right-hander would Boston’s desire for another righty in the back of the bullpen with Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen.

Bednar has made the All-Star team in each of the last two seasons. This year, he posts a 3-1 record and a 1.15 ERA with 19 saves as the Pirates’ closer. He continues to induce soft contact this year with a solid three pitch mix of a four-seam fastball, a curveball and a splitter.

Bednar would take a hefty return to acquire given his pedigree over the last two seasons, his youth in his age-28 season and the contract that has him under team control through 2026. If the Red Sox pay up to get Bednar, they would be acquiring one of the game’s most efficient relievers.

Dauri Moreta
With Bednar likely too expensive to pursue, Moreta is another right-handed relief option for Boston to pursue.

In 44 appearances this season, the 27-year-old is 4-2 with a 3.27 ERA. Moreta is a consistent strike thrower, striking out 60 batters to 20 walks in 2023.

Moreta is another controllable reliever that could help a team in relief in 2023 and well beyond. The righty offers electric stuff, particularly with a slider he throws more than 60 percent of the time as he strikes out over 12 batters per nine innings.

Rich Hill
Is a fourth stint with Boston truly in the cards for the Milton, Mass. native? The 43-year-old southpaw previously pitched with the Red Sox from 2010-2012, again in 2015 and another season in 2022.

The lefty has struggled with Pittsburgh this season with an ERA nearing 5.00. What Hill does do is eat innings and fill a spot in a rotation with the Red Sox.

While Hill would not be the main pitching acquisition, he could at the very least add a depth starter to the rotation for a few weeks as the Red Sox wait for Chris Sale, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck to return to health.