The signs and sources on social media seem to hint at the Boston Red Sox wanting to improve their starting rotation. And so far, they're proving everyone and their justified speculations to be correct.
Craig Breslow is wasting no time, as two days after the break, he reportedly sent scouts out to Arizona to take quick looks at starting pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
The Red Sox have sent scouts to watch Diamondbacks starters Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, according to @BNightengale. pic.twitter.com/fUCDYeSPQo
— Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) July 20, 2025
We can already tell you what happened in Sunday's game. The Diamondbacks won 5-3 against the St. Louis Cardinals and swept them in their three-game series, moving them now back to .500 (50-50).
Merrill Kelly pitched 6 full innings, struck out 5, walked 4, and gave up 2 earned runs. Overall, his season has been the best out of anyone in that rotation, with a 3.32 ERA, 118 strikeouts, with only 37 walks in 122.0 innings pitched this season. He's been the true hero in their rotation this year, despite his age creeping up towards 37 in October this year.
Next up is Gallen, and he'll be opening up the series against the Houston Astros, who are dominant in their own right despite injuries plaguing the team. This is the true moment for Gallen to prove himself, as he's had a down season to this point.
His ERA is at 5.40, with his HR rate skyrocketing from a career 2.6% (up to 2024) to 4.2% this season. He's been like this all season, giving up, on average, 3.5 runs per outing. That's not good for him, and his value is at an all-time low. However, that's where teams will be pouncing on that opportunity, including the Red Sox.
Many believe that Kelly is the better option, but his market value is higher than Gallen's. Depending on how both pitchers do before the deadline, it's only easier to assume that one may stay and the other one will leave.