Report: Red Sox met with Burnes, Fried
The Boston Red Sox are ramping up their search for starting pitching in a big way.
Boston met with star free-agent pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, sources told Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.
Burnes sat down with the Red Sox virtually, according to Speier, who adds it's unclear whether the meeting with Fried was in person or online.
The Red Sox have been pushing hard for top-tier starting pitching upgrades this offseason. They were chasing two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell before he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. After missing on Snell, the Sox reportedly shifted focus to Fried. Boston is also said to be dangling first baseman Triston Casas in potential trades for pitchers.
Burnes finished fifth in AL Cy Young voting this past season after a stellar campaign with the Baltimore Orioles. The 30-year-old's 2.92 ERA was his lowest since his NL Cy Young-winning campaign in 2021. He also topped 190 innings for a third straight year.
The right-hander is drawing plenty of interest across the AL East, having already reportedly talked to Boston's division rivals in New York and Toronto.
Fried, who will turn 31 next month, put up a 3.25 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 166 strikeouts, two complete games, and one shutout across 29 starts for the Atlanta Braves in 2024. The southpaw was runner-up in NL Cy Young voting two years ago.
Fried is a longtime friend and former high-school teammate of Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito. Earlier this offseason, Giolito said he planned to recruit Fried to Boston, calling him a "great fit" for the club.
The Orioles, Blue Jays, and Yankees have also been connected to Fried this winter.
Both Burnes and Fried are attached to draft-pick compensation after rejecting qualifying offers from their former teams.