Red Sox Could Add Diamondbacks All-Star Called Possible Trade Chip

The Boston Red Sox's pitching rotation has been a massive disappointment in 2025.

Garrett Crochet has been excellent, but the good news stops there for Boston. Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito have lately strung together some more promising starts, but on the whole, Crochet has been the only dog since Opening Day.

The Red Sox are fooling themselves if they think a rotation with one stud and a bunch of question marks is playoff-worthy. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow acquired pitching depth in the Rafael Devers trade, none of which is ready to take on Major League rotational duties immediately.

Surely, Breslow must be considering adding an MLB-ready arm to Boston's thin rotation before July 31 -- someone worthy of joining Crochet in the team's starting pitching corps.

What about Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Zac Gallen? On Sunday, USA Today's Bob Nightengale made it sound like Gallen could be available.

“The Arizona Diamondbacks’ playoffs hopes continue to take body blows with co-closers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez undergoing season-ending elbow surgeries, joining ace Corbin Burnes and starters Jordan Montgomery and Tommy Henry,” Nightengale wrote.

“If they’re out of the race at the trade deadline, they’ll be swarmed with calls seeking starters Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, along with third baseman Eugenio Suarez, first baseman Josh Naylor and closer Shelby Miller.”

Gallen, 29, has been a cornerstone of Arizona’s rotation for years, earning top-five National League Cy Young votes in 2022 and 2023. Despite a down year in 2025 with a 5.60 ERA entering Monday, his career 3.52 ERA and general resumé make him an attractive change of scenery trade candidate.

Arizona, knowing Gallen's value and surefire appeal on the market, would likely request a sweeter prospect package from Breslow than he's comfortable with, leading to a tough decision. But this is no different than what Breslow and Boston's brass will face if they pursue other coveted trade chips. The Red Sox have to realize that if they want to win now and rise above what's been a mediocre season, adding at the deadline won't be a cheap exercise.

To bring in significant value, you have to give up significant value. Acquiring a guy like Gallen might not only be a good baseball decision for the Red Sox; it would do something to restore some fan faith in the front office's desire to win now.

Gallen is on an expiring $13.5 million deal, so this could be a rental situation.