BOSTON — Dodgers' World Series Game 7 starter Yu Darvish was one of the pitchers the Red Sox asked about at the trade deadline as they tried to improve for the stretch run.
The offense was the clearest area of need for the Sox by midseason. But, adding Darvish to improve a strength — and serve as insurance for David Price, who was injured as the deadline arrived — was another route they could have taken.
Sources said the Red Sox-Rangers discussion was not particularly in depth because of the Rangers’ price, and ultimately, because of what the Sox could even offer. The Sox didn’t want to move anyone off their major league team, and the Rangers weren’t enamored with the Sox’ prospects offerings.
Darvish, a free agent this winter, was sent from the Rangers to the Dodgers for three prospects: infielder Willie Calhoun, pitcher A.J. Alexy and infielder Brendon Davis. Boston acquired infielder Eduardo Nunez and reliever Addison Reed before August arrived instead.
Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said three days before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline that he was “not going to go out and make a big trade for a starting pitcher." He noted Doug Fister's arrival as well as the expectation that Price would return.
After the deadline passed, Dombrowski said: “You dip your toes in everything. But we never got close or had any serious conversations about starting pitching.”