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4 Red Sox Already on the Trade Block Ahead of Deadline

We're only a quarter of the way through the MLB season, but it's never too early to start thinking about potential trades. If Boston's season goes south, as many have projected, who'll be the first players on the block?

By Jacob Phillips

May 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (74)
May 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (74) / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
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2. RHP Nick Pivetta

The Red Sox entered the 2024 season with a lineup that most expected to be above-average and a rotation that most expected to be… not.

Yes, it’s only been a quarter of the season, but it appears we were very wrong. Boston leads the MLB with a 2.74 ERA with a majority coming from a rotation that spits out quality start after quality start.

The numbers are made all the more impressive when you consider Giolito hasn’t thrown a pitch and three-fifths of the Opening Day rotation has missed multiple weeks with injury.

Nick Pivetta is no exception; the veteran right-hander has continued his late-season excellence from 2023, logging a 3.48 ERA alongside an 11/1 K/BB ratio across 20.2 innings. Pivetta looked absolutely dominant before an elbow injury knocked him out for a month. While his first start post-injury wasn’t great, all indications are, that he can regather his early-season form.

The next month will determine his value, but his absence showed that the Red Sox don’t need Pivetta as much as we thought. Between Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford pitching like aces, Brayan Bello continuing to improve, and Cooper Criswell channeling his inner Greg Maddux, the Sox have four bonafide starters before factoring in Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, and Josh Winckowski.

With the well-regarded Richard Fitts impressing in Triple-A, the Sox could quickly find themselves with a surplus of starters, and Pivetta seems the most obvious trade candidate.

I don’t necessarily expect a Pivetta deal, but fetching what would likely be another solid prospect for a 31-year-old (on an expiring contract) in an area of depth wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Like O’Neill, he won’t move if the Red Sox are competitive, but if not, he’ll go to the highest bidder.

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