The Boston Red Sox’s quest to acquire a frontline starter to pair with Cy Young finalist Garrett Crochet has hit a major roadblock. Reds Manager Terry Francona, the beloved architect of two Red Sox World Series titles, has emphatically shut down trade rumors involving Cincinnati’s young ace, Hunter Greene.
Francona’s public stance forces Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow to immediately pivot to alternative trade targets or dive into a competitive free agent market.
Francona’s Cold Reality
Francona’s words, delivered on the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast, carried the weight of a man who understands the fragility of pitching depth:
“Pitching is too hard for us to acquire through free agency,” Francona declared. “We gotta keep Hunter on the mound.”
This statement from the legendary skipper—who led the Reds to a playoff berth in 2025—confirms that Cincinnati’s strategy is to leverage its immense pitching depth to win now, meaning Greene (who posted a scorching 2.76 ERA over the last two seasons) is effectively untouchable.
The Hunter Greene Trade Package Context
The appeal of Greene for Boston was enormous. He is a 26-year-old fireballer under contract through the 2028 season (with a 2029 club option) at a team-friendly average annual value (AAV) of approximately $13 million.
To acquire Greene, the Red Sox were widely rumored to be offering a package centered around their surplus of major league outfielders (like Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu) combined with a top-tier pitching prospect like Payton Tolle or Jhostynxon Garcia. Francona’s decision eliminates the most attractive high-upside, cost-controlled trade target for Boston.
Boston’s Pivots: Trade and Free Agent Alternatives
With the door closed on Greene, Breslow must now look elsewhere to fulfill his mission of adding “more elite talent” to the rotation. The rumor mill is already pointing to several high-value alternatives, mostly via trade due to the team’s prospect capital:
⚾ Trade Targets (Pitchers Under Control)
| Target | Team | Control Through | Primary Trade Draw |
| Tarik Skubal | Detroit Tigers | 2027 | Another ace-level lefty, heavily linked to trade talks. |
| Joe Ryan | Minnesota Twins | 2027 | A trade-deadline target; high strikeout rate and excellent control. |
| Pablo Lopez | Minnesota Twins | 2027 | High AAV ($21.75M) makes him more expendable for the Twins than Ryan. |
| Freddy Peralta | Milwaukee Brewers | 2026 | High-strikeout arm with a manageable contract. |
Xuất sang Trang tính
💸 Free Agent Targets
While Breslow is expected to prefer trading from his deep farm system, the top of the free agent market offers immediate impact:
- Framber Valdez (LHP): Arguably the top pitcher on the market; a true workhorse.
- Dylan Cease (RHP): A high-upside strikeout pitcher who the Red Sox could try to sign instead of trading for.
- Jordan Montgomery (LHP): A proven postseason commodity and durable innings eater.
Francona’s loyalty to the Reds’ pitching staff has had an immediate and dramatic effect on the Red Sox’s offseason plans.
The Red Sox’s attention now pivots heavily toward the Minnesota Twins. Given their past interest in Joe Ryan and the new speculation about Pablo Lopez, which of the two Twins starters presents the better balance of trade cost and contract security for the Red Sox?
