Jeff Passan Didn’t Hesitate to Outline ‘Perfect’ Move for the Red Sox’s Offseason: “He’s Going to Have to Be More Creative to Improve an Already Strong Red Sox Team.” And 2 Top Pitchers Revealed That Surprised Fans
As the crisp November air settles over Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox find themselves at a familiar crossroads: a team brimming with potential, yet yearning for that elusive edge to propel them back to October glory. The 2025 season was a revelation for the Sox, a gritty Wild Card berth snatched from the jaws of mediocrity, powered by a resurgent rotation anchored by trade-deadline darling Garrett Crochet. His 18-5 record and 2.59 ERA over 205 innings weren’t just numbers; they were a statement, a reminder of what Boston can achieve when the stars align. But as chief baseball officer Craig Breslow surveys the landscape, the mandate is clear: evolve without extravagance. Enter ESPN insider Jeff Passan, whose blueprint for Boston’s winter has ignited debates from Yawkey Way to the Twitter trenches.
Passan, never one to mince words, laid out his vision in a comprehensive ESPN piece mapping “perfect” offseason transactions for 21 MLB clubs. For the Red Sox, his prescription was as audacious as it was pragmatic: trade for Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan. “At the trade deadline this past season, the Red Sox believed they were close to landing Joe Ryan, an elite arm who had his best year yet for the Twins in 2025,” Passan wrote. “As long as Red Sox ownership keeps the financial clamps on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, he’ll need to get creative in improving a Red Sox team that’s already quite good. Revisiting what he missed at the deadline is the simplest way to do so.”
The echo of that near-miss still lingers. Back in July, reports swirled that a deal for Ryan was all but sealed—Fox Sports even prematurely announced it—only for the Twins to pull back at the eleventh hour. Ryan, a lanky 28-year-old with a fastball that kisses triple digits and a slider that bites like a Cape Cod fog, finished 2025 with a career-high 3.12 ERA across 178 innings, earning his first All-Star nod. Pairing him with Crochet would form a rotation tandem capable of staring down the Yankees or Orioles without flinching, a one-two punch blending unhittable heat with surgical command. Passan envisions Boston dangling a package of mid-tier prospects—perhaps outfielder Roman Anthony’s understudy and a couple of live arms—to pry Ryan loose, all while staying under the luxury tax’s watchful eye.
Breslow’s challenge is compounded by the team’s surprising depth, a silver lining from a season marred by injuries. Brayan Bello emerged as a workhorse, logging 192 innings with a 3.45 ERA that belied his youth, while Tanner Houck’s sinker-induced groundball wizardry kept Fenway’s Green Monster from becoming a home run haven. Kutter Crawford, despite a late knee tweak, showed flashes of ace potential in spurts. Yet, the rotation’s fragility was exposed in the AL Wild Card Series, where a hobbled Lucas Giolito sat sidelined with elbow discomfort, forcing rookie Connelly Early into a do-or-die spotlight he wasn’t ready for. Early’s poise in that loss to the Rays—four innings of two-run ball—hinted at brighter days, but it underscored the need for proven firepower.
Passan’s endorsement arrives amid a flurry of rumors that have fans buzzing about two other top pitchers unexpectedly in Boston’s orbit, moves that have caught even the most jaded supporters off guard. The first is a reunion with Walker Buehler, the Dodgers’ two-time World Series hero whose 2025 bounce-back (12-6, 3.22 ERA in 28 starts) has him testing free agency after declining a qualifying offer. Buehler, once a Tommy John casualty, rediscovered his devastating curveball and cutter combo in Los Angeles, striking out 198 batters while limiting hard contact to under 30 percent. Whispers from GM meetings suggest the Sox have quietly initiated talks, viewing Buehler’s postseason pedigree—sub-1.00 ERA in October—as the tonic for their bullpen-to-starter pipeline woes. At 31, he’s a short-term gamble with long-term upside, potentially inked to a two-year, $40 million pact that buys time for prospects like Payton Tolle to marinate.
The second shocker? A dark-horse pursuit of Framber Valdez, the Astros’ lefty bulldog who’s hit the open market after six stellar seasons in Houston. Valdez’s 2025 line—11-4, 2.62 ERA through 21 starts before a hamstring tweak—made him the class of this free-agent pitching crop, with his worm-killing sinker and changeup duo inducing a league-high 58 percent groundball rate. Astros brass, pinching pennies post their ALCS flameout, opted not to extend him, shocking a fanbase that viewed him as untouchable. For Boston, Valdez represents the ultimate stabilizer: a durable innings-eater who thrives in high-leverage spots, his 3.89 career ERA masking back-to-back top-five Cy Young finishes. Sources indicate Breslow sees Valdez as Plan B to Ryan, a $25 million-per-year anchor who could slide seamlessly behind Crochet, allowing Bello and Houck to breathe easier in the middle turns.
These revelations have electrified Red Sox Nation, a fanbase scarred by the Mookie Betts fire sale but tantalized by 2025’s near-miss. Social media erupted post-Passan’s column, with #GetJoeRyan trending alongside memes of Breslow as a budget-conscious wizard. “This team’s already got the bats—Rafaela’s Gold Glove, Devers’ power surge, Yoshida’s on-base sorcery,” one fan tweeted. “Just give us arms that don’t vanish in September.” Yet, caution tempers the hype. Ownership’s frugality, a holdover from the John Henry era, means no blank checks. Giolito’s free agency looms large too; his midseason renaissance (2.51 ERA from June onward) makes re-signing him tempting, but at what cost when youth beckons?
As the winter meetings loom, Breslow’s creativity will be tested. Passan’s blueprint—Ryan as the crown jewel—offers a path to contention without mortgaging the farm. But with Buehler’s grit and Valdez’s guile entering the fray, the Sox could assemble a rotation rivaling the league’s elite: Crochet-Ryan/Buehler/Valdez-Bello-Houck, a blend of power, precision, and pedigree. It’s a vision that transforms “already strong” into “unstoppably dominant.” For a franchise that thrives on drama, this offseason promises plot twists aplenty. Will Boston pull the trigger on Ryan’s redemption arc, or pivot to these surprise suitors? One thing’s certain: Fenway’s faithful are strapped in, popcorn in hand, ready for the show.
