The Red Sox’s chances of getting top names on the market before the deadline

Before the deadline, Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, White Sox Garrett Crochet, Blue Jays Yusei Kikuchi and Athletics left fielder/designated hitter Brent Rooker were among the top names rumored to be traded.

Of the four players, the Red Sox have the best odds to land Rooker and Kikuchi. The Red Sox are +550 odds to be the team Rooker is with after the trade deadline at DraftKings Sportsbook, which is the third-best odds. They trail only the Athletics (+380) and Mariners (+400).

Rooker would give the Red Sox the help they needed on the right side of the plate in the middle of their lineup. The 29-year-old is in the midst of a career year, hitting .288 with a .948 OPS to go with 25 homers and 72 RBI. If the Red Sox were to trade for Rooker, he would ideally become their leadoff hitter, a role he has held in Oakland for much of the last two years.

Since Rooker is under team control through the end of the 2027 season, the Athletics may not be eager to move him. In fact, Oakland has told teams it is reluctant to move Rooker before the deadline, New York PostJon Heyman reported on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Kikuchi seems more likely to be traded than Rooker. The left-hander made his final start before the deadline Friday, sharing an emotional moment with Blue Jays fans as he left the mound at the Rogers Center.

The Red Sox are +650 odds to be the team Kikuchi is with after the deadline from DraftKings Sportsbook. Those odds are seventh-best, but not too far behind the Orioles, who have the best odds at +450.

Kikuchi is in the midst of an OK season for the Blue Jays. He’s 4-9 with a 4.75 ERA this season, though his 3.64 FIP suggests he’s been a little unlucky.

More importantly, Kikuchi has been reliable to stay on the mound, pitching 115 2/3 innings over an MLB-best 22 starts. It would also give the Red Sox’s rotation another left-hander, something they lacked prior to the trade for Paxton.

Kikuchi, 33, is in the final season of a three-year, $36 million deal he signed to join the Blue Jays in 2022. So the price to get him would likely to be much less than purchasing a pitcher like Skubal would be.

Speaking of Skubal, the Red Sox are a bit more of a shot at landing him. Even though they’re tied for the fifth-best odds to be the team to throw Skubal to after the deadline, they’re +2000 on DraftKings. Skubal staying with the Tigers is listed at -310.

It has been widely speculated that Skubal is unlikely to be moved before the trade deadline. The 27-year-old is still under team control for two more years and has arguably been the best pitcher in the American since returning from injury midway through last season. He is 11-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 2024.

Finally, the Red Sox are also a bit of a stretch to get Crochet as well. Their +1200 odds to be Team Crochet lands at the trade deadline are seventh best on DraftKings. The White Sox are favored to be the Crochet pitchers team for after the deadline at +110.

Crochet has been stellar for the White Sox this season, going 6-7 with a 3.07 ERA and an MLB-best 157 strikeouts. The 25-year-old cannot become a free agent until the end of the 2026 season, but he reportedly wants an extension before the playoffs if he is traded.

Of course, Rooker, Kikuchi, Skubal and Crochet aren’t the only names on the trade market ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. The Red Sox have also been linked to a handful of other players around the league, such as Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon.

But it looks like they’ll have to make a move to keep up with their division rivals. The Orioles acquired pitcher Zach Eflin from the Rays on Friday, and the Yankees are reportedly trading for second baseman/outfielder Jazz Chisholm.

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