The Boston Red Sox have been hit with injuries to their top three starting pitchers—Kutter Crawford, Lucas Giolito, and Brayon Bello—each dealing with different issues that should keep them on the injured list to start the season. However, the bigger concern isn’t the rotation; it’s the closer role. With just two weeks until opening day, Boston still lacks a definitive closer, relying instead on a rotation split between Liam Hendriks, Aroldis Chapman, and Justin Slaten—a noticeable step down from last season when Kenley Jansen held that role.
To upgrade at the back end, Boston could pursue a blockbuster deal with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are expected to trade their closer, Ryan Helsley, before he hits free agency at the end of the season. Spotrac projects that Helsley could command an $81 million deal next winter. While such a move would be expensive, it might be worth it for Boston to secure the elite reliever who led the league in saves last season. At 30, Helsley delivered an impressive 2.04 ERA over 66 1/3 innings, notching 49 saves and earning 3.0 WAR—career highs achieved with a struggling Cardinals squad. If he joins the Red Sox, there’s even potential for him to notch over 50 saves in 2025.
