Morning Sports Update

3 starting pitchers the Red Sox are reportedly considering aside from Yoshinobu Yamamoto

"Their pitching has been disastrous."

Shota Imanaga
Shota Imanaga pitching for Japan during the World Baseball Classic championship in 2023. AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

By Hayden Bird

The Red Sox and starting pitching: In a disappointing 2023 season, one of the major challenges facing the Red Sox was a struggling pitching staff.

Boston pitchers combined for a 4.52 ERA, below the MLB team average (4.33). Starting pitching was a specific weakness, with the Red Sox staff compiling quality starts just 29 percent of the time (one of the worst rates in Major League Baseball).

As a result, the offseason priority is clear: Add pitching, with a concentration on starters. And while talented Japanese free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto is viewed as arguably the top possible signing, the Red Sox could be eyeing other options as well.

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“They’ve kept things very close to the vest under Craig Breslow since his arrival as Chief Baseball Officer in the beginning of November,” noted Boston Globe Red Sox reporter Alex Spieier in a Thursday interview on MLB Network.

Spieir pointed to another Japanese pitcher whom the Red Sox might consider.

“I think Shōta Imanaga is also someone who’s of considerable interest to the Red Sox,” said Speier. “Someone whose pitch characteristics from Japan were quite fascinating to the team. His performance track record and, again, lack of qualifying offer — meaning no draft pick that you would have to lose in order to sign him — also represents a form of appeal.”

Imanaga, 30, is a two-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star and was the 2023 Japan Central League strikeout leader (totaling 174 in 148 innings pitching). Like Yamamoto, he has never pitched in MLB.

New York Post reporter Jon Heyman also listed the Red Sox as a possible suitor for Imanaga, along with fellow free agent starters Lucas Giolito and Jordan Montgomery.

Boston, as Heyman described, is “in on every pitcher.”

“They’re looking to add pitchers,” Spieir explained. “The lineup additions are really entirely secondary. Their pitching has been disastrous. They don’t have upper-level starting pitchers who are ready to come onto the team, so most of the resources that they’re going to be directing are going to be in the direction of pitching.”

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Trivia: Who is the most recent Red Sox winner of the Cy Young Award?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: He started his MLB career with the Tigers.

Scores and schedules:

The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 116-107 on Thursday. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 27 points. Tonight, the Celtics host the Magic at 7:30 p.m.

The Bruins are also in action tonight, facing the Islanders in New York at 7:30 p.m.

On Sunday, the Patriots face the Chiefs at home at 1 p.m.

More from Boston.com:

More from the Rob Gronkowski interview: Gronkowski and Julian Edelman recalled a particular incident in which they got in trouble with Bill Belichick.

On this day: In 1996, Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri prevented a kickoff return touchdown by Herschel Walker, though the Cowboys still won the game 12-6.

Daily highlight: Former Patriot Jack Jones made a one-handed interception that he took back for a touchdown in the Raiders’ rout of the Chargers on Thursday. The real-time view is also worth a watch.

Trivia answer: Rick Porcello

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