As expected, the Boston Red Sox appear to be actively scouring the free-agent market for starting pitching.
Earlier this month it was reported the Red Sox were showing interest in two-time Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber. They're also expected to be an "aggressive suitor" for Japanese ace Tomoyuki Sugano.
Tomase: Who are the next generation of Red Sox stars?
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
On Friday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reported two additional names the Red Sox have shown interest in: right-hander Jake Odorizzi and lefty Rich Hill.
Odorizzi made only four starts in 2020 due to injuries but was rock-solid for the Minnesota Twins in 2019. That season, the 30-year-old went 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA in 30 starts. He also spent five seasons in Tampa Bay while Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom was in the Rays front office.
Hill, a Boston native, is coming off a 2020 campaign in which he posted a 3.03 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in eight appearances with the Twins. The 40-year-old had two prior stints with the Red Sox (2010-12, 2015).
The Red Sox desperately need to improve their pitching staff following a season in which they ranked 28th in ERA (5.58) and dead-last in WHIP (1.60). The returns of southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez and Chris Sale should provide a considerable boost, but bringing in a reliable arm or two via free agency or trade should be priority No. 1 for Boston this offseason.