Red Sox Rumors: Boston ‘Clearly’ Has These Pitchers On Radar

It’s been a slow start to the Major League Baseball offseason for the Boston Red Sox, but the famed hot stove could finally be heating up.

You know, if they want it to.

The Red Sox traded Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees in a shocker Wednesday, but outside of that departure they’ve been fairly quiet. Boston has been linked to players, but has failed to actually add anyone in the first few weeks of the offseason. That could change soon, as Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Thursday the Red Sox had clear interest in a pair of starting pitchers.

“Shota Imanaga is a guy the Red Sox are clearly looking at,” Heyman said, via Bleacher Report. “They like him very much. I’m sure there are many teams that are. He’s a little more affordable than (Yoshinobu) Yamamoto. The Red Sox are looking at Imanaga — that’s the one team I’ve heard about Imanaga.”

Imanaga projects to be a No. 3 or 4 starter when he makes his way over from Japan. The 30-year-old struck out nearly 30% of the hitters he faced and walked just 3.8% in 148 innings, posting a 2.80 ERA.

He’s not the only starter on Boston’s radar, however.

“I do think Seth Lugo is a guy the Red Sox are talking about,” “Lugo should get a three-year deal. That’s good for him. He proved he can be a starter, and if you’re going to be a starter you’re going to raise your value by double.”

Lugo has been connected to Boston in recent weeks, with the Red Sox reportedly stepping up their efforts to sign him at the winter meetings. In an offseason where they need to make multiple additions to the starting rotation, the Red Sox might have already found the arms they’re looking for.

They’ve just got to sign them.