Red Sox Named ‘Best Fit’ For All-Star Pitcher Amid Trade Rumors

The Boston Red Sox have already added Johan Oviedo and Sonny Gray to their starting rotation in trades with the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively.

Could they target another NL Central team to acquire another starting pitcher?

ESPN MLB expert David Schoenfield named the Red Sox as the best fit for Milwaukee Brewers All-Star right-hander Freddy Peralta on Tuesday, though he gave just a 25% “trade chance” of the 29-year-old being moved.

“As mentioned, the Brewers were in this situation two winters ago with (Corbin) Burnes and traded him. Will they do the same with Peralta? Though they kept shortstop Willy Adames until he left in free agency, it’s also about the churn of talent for them — and trading Peralta could result in landing his long-term replacement,” Schoenfield wrote. “That’s where the Red Sox fit. The American League East is shaping up as a tough race, and the Red Sox are deep in pitching prospects to swing a deal if that’s what the Brewers desire…”

Peralta and Boston have been linked for much of the offseason.

Though the Red Sox have been busy addressing the rotation with the Gray and Oviedo additions, it was also reported on Monday that they were pulling back on their pursuit of Minnesota Twins All-Star right-hander Joe Ryan.

Peralta, like Ryan, had arguably his best campaign in 2025.

The native of the Dominican Republic finished last season with a National League-best 17 wins, as well as a 2.70 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 204 strikeouts across 176 2/3 innings pitched covering 33 starts.

Peralta (who finished fifth in the NL Cy Young voting) has been one of the premier strikeout pitchers in baseball over the last three years, finishing with 200 or more punchouts every season since 2023.