Free Agent Starter Would Love Boston; Red Sox Among Interested

The Boston Red Sox keep saying offense is priority number one this offseason. But behind the scenes, pitching is still very much in play.

Free agent starter Michael King has a clear affinity for Boston. There’s also talk of a possible reunion with veteran reliever Chris Martin.

The Red Sox front office is quietly working to deepen the staff. They don’t want to derail their main mission: adding bats.

Red Sox Prioritize Bats, But Don’t Ignore Arms

Publicly, the Red Sox have described this winter as an offensive makeover. After seasons of inconsistent run production and lineup holes, there’s urgency to find impact bats and lengthen the order.

Yet even as the club targets hitters, pitching conversations have not stopped. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow keeps exploring both starting and relief markets, making it clear Boston is open to upgrades if the right deal comes along.

Rotation Already Reinforced With Gray and Oviedo

The Red Sox can afford to be selective on starting pitching because of moves they’ve already made. Boston moved quickly to sign Sonny Gray, a proven top-of-the-rotation arm.

They also added Johan Oviedo, a younger starter with upside and team control. Those two have stabilized a staff that leaned too much on unproven arms in recent years.

With Gray and Oviedo in the fold, Boston isn’t desperate for a starter. That gives them leverage in talks with pitchers like Michael King.

Michael King: Hometown Appeal Meets Market Reality

Few free agents this offseason have a more natural connection to Boston than Michael King. He’s a Rhode Island native and Boston College alum, and he’s made it known he’d love to pitch in front of New England fans regularly.

That hometown factor has caught the Red Sox’ attention. They see King as a potential rotational fit with both present value and local appeal.

A Strong Track Record Despite Recent Injuries

King’s recent performance backs up the interest. With the San Diego Padres in 2024, he posted a 3.44 ERA over 15 starts and showed he can turn over a lineup.

In 2025, injuries cut into his workload, limiting him to 73 ⅓ innings. Even so, he remains one of the more intriguing arms available—a pitcher who’s transitioned from swingman to full-time starter, with the versatility clubs like.

Multiple Suitors Drive Up King’s Price

The challenge for Boston is the marketplace. King isn’t just on the Red Sox radar; he’s drawing interest from several contenders and big-market clubs, including:

Those teams are all in win-now mode and have rotation needs that might be more urgent than Boston’s. That dynamic is expected to push King toward a lucrative multi-year deal, possibly beyond what the Red Sox want to offer.

For Boston to land him, they’d probably need a hometown discount. King would have to turn down guaranteed money elsewhere to pitch in Boston. It’s possible, but in today’s market, who really knows?

Craig Breslow Keeps the Door Open on Pitching

Breslow has been careful in his public comments. He keeps stressing that while the front office is focused on offense, they’re not done on the mound.

The Red Sox are keeping active dialogues going with both starters and relievers. They’re ready to move if the market breaks their way.

Chris Martin Emerges as a Logical Bullpen Target

One name that keeps coming up is Chris Martin, the veteran reliever who pitched well for Boston in 2023 and 2024. Now with the Texas Rangers, Martin showed in 2025 that he’s still got plenty left.

Last season, he made 49 appearances with a 2.98 ERA. That’s exactly the kind of late-inning reliability teams crave.

Martin has said he plans to keep playing in 2026, so a reunion is on the table. For the Red Sox, bringing back Martin would check several boxes: he knows Fenway, he’s pitched well lately, and he can handle a variety of high-leverage spots.

Balancing the Lineup and the Staff

As the offseason unfolds, the Red Sox will probably keep threading the needle. They’re chasing the offensive upgrades they badly need, but they’re also staying alert to value on the pitching side.

Gray and Oviedo give them a solid foundation. Still, arms like Michael King and Chris Martin are very much on their radar.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Red Sox among teams in on free agent starter who would ‘love to be in Boston’