The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees both need to upgrade their starting pitching before the July 31 non-waiver MLB trade deadline, and it appears these rivals both are targeting the same New York Mets right-hander.
The New York Post's Joel Sherman reported Thursday the Mets had "engaged" the Red Sox on a potential deal for Zack Wheeler. Andy Martino of SNY reported Thursday the Yankees also are "interested in Wheeler."
According to one source, there is significant interest in Wheeler. A trade is not believed to be close with any one suitor, but the Mets have shifted into a more aggressive sell mode.
Wheeler would be a quality addition to a Red Sox rotation that has underwhelmed for much of the first half of the season due to the struggles of Chris Sale and Rick Porcello. The 29-year-old Wheeler has a 6-6 record with a 4.69 ERA, 130 strikeouts and a 1.28 WHIP over 119 innings (19 starts) in 2019.
The concern with Wheeler is his durability. He's battled injuries throughout his career and made 20-plus starts in just two of his first four MLB seasons. The Red Sox would not need to make a long-term commitment to Wheeler, however, because he'll be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Wheeler is a great target for the Red Sox if acquiring a starter is their main goal before the trade deadline. Boston doesn't have much to offer in terms of top prospects, though, so a bidding with the Yankees or any other team probably wouldn't end well for the Sox.
Click for potential Red Sox trade targets from MLB's worst rosters>>>
Boston Red Sox
Find the latest Boston Red Sox news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.
