MLB Trade Rumors: Gio Gonzalez Would Be Perfect Fit for Boston Red Sox

Major League Baseball World Series quests begin when the play isn’t even happening on the field. Free agency, trades and waiver pickups can create perfect starts to postseason glory.

Gio Gonzalez has been great in the past two seasons, posting ERAs of 3.23 and 3.12 for the Oakland Athletics. The Boston Red Sox desperately need starting pitching depth. Adding Gonzalez from the Athletics makes perfect sense for an organization that’s in dire need for the position. 

Not only is Gonzalez’s ERA impressive in the American League, but he has won 31 games in the past two seasons for a below-average club in the Bay Area. His youth (26) would also be welcomed to the starting rotation, seeing how four of their pitchers who started the most games last year were a combined average of 34 years of age. 

John Lackey has been an absolute disaster of a pickup for the Red Sox. He posted a 6.41 ERA while going 12-12 last season. Tim Wakefield was basically running on fumes last season while posting a 5.12 ERA.

A youthful and talented addition like Gonzalez would be welcomed.

Boston would most likely give up either one of their top position prospects like 3B Will Middlebrooks and probably a potentially raw, low-ball player.

Teams like the Red Sox make moves like this all the time. They are more willing to give up top prospects because of their ability to use free agency to re-stock their talent. Gonzalez would be worth the value given traded away.

Gonzalez struck out 197 batters last season, 171 in 2011, and was a workhorse, pitching in more than 200 innings in consecutive seasons. Opponents hit a lousy .230 off the 26-year-old. 

The lefty mixes his dynamic curveball with a plus fastball and a changeup that he has improved on in recent years.

It’s time to get younger and more talented in the rotation. Besides, the New York Yankees are also interested. Let the battle for AL East supremacy begin.