Who Would Be Better Fit For Red Sox? Blake Snell Or Max Fried?

The Red Sox need a front-line starter to headline the rotation and there are multiple options in free agency.

Blake Snell and Max Fried are the most popular names on the market. Snell won the National League Cy Young Award in 2023 and would give Boston a much-needed left-handed starter. Fried is coming off another All-Star season and has championship experience as a 2021 World Series winner.

Obviously, either pitcher would be great for the Red Sox, but NESN’s Jahmai Webster and The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams debated on the “310 To Left” podcast who they’d rather have if forced to choose one. Webster had a clear choice.

“Partly, it was what he did — a guy seemingly finding his ‘sea legs — I’m talking about Blake Snell,” Webster told McWilliams. “That would be my preference if I’m talking about who the Red Sox should sign given what he did. His whiff rate, his strikeout rate, his two Cy Youngs. He’s got the hardware to go along with the dog that he is on the mound. I like Blake Snell. Although Max Fried wouldn’t be too far off, but if I’m talking about who’d be a better fit, I think a nice left-handed starter with Blake Snell’s attributes would be amazing for this rotation.”

McWilliams tried to be “realistic” about Boston’s choices, but after being pressed to dream big, The Boston Globe writer agreed with Webster and believed Snell would be the best fit for the Red Sox. McWilliams highlighted how the rotation needs someone who can generate swings and misses and strikeouts at a high level. And Snell would be the high-end pitcher to help lead the rotation.

You can hear more of Webster and McWilliams’ discussion of the Red Sox and MLB free agency on YouTube or Spotify.