Jun 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A bucket of baseballs sits on the grass before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the San Diego Padres at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

There will be plenty of options for the Boston Red Sox this winter if they want to add another key piece to the starting rotation.

The rotation is going to be spoken about for the next few months until the day comes that the team makes an addition. Boston has the means to do so and has made it sound like it will be willing to add this winter.

Boston is in a different position than it was in last year, though. The Red Sox don’t need to completely retool the rotation. Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford are great building blocks. Lucas Giolito is widely expected to pick up his option and return to the mound in 2025.

The Red Sox could have a very good rotation in 2025 and may just need one more piece. Boston specifically needs a left-handed starter. Because of this, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand listed the Red Sox among “potential fits” for Houston Astros hurler Yusei Kikuchi.

“The Astros paid a hefty price for Kikuchi at the Trade Deadline, a somewhat surprising development given his 4.75 ERA over 22 starts for Toronto,” Feinsand said. “But the veteran lefty was stellar for Houston, going 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts, thrusting him back into the second level of free-agent starters. Potential fits: (Texas Rangers), Red Sox, (Minnesota Twins).”

Kikuchi is a six-year big league veteran with one All-Star nod under his belt and a career 4.57 ERA in 166 total games. He is just 33 years old and had a 4.05 overall ERA in 2024 with the Toronto Blue Jays and Astros.

Landing Kikuchi wouldn’t be as big of a move as signing someone like Blake Snell, but he could give the Red Sox a needed boost without breaking the bank. He’s projected  get a $14 million deal across one season this winter. Boston could afford that.