The Chaim Bloom era has begun in Boston, and if Red Sox ownership is determined to cut costs on its roster and build a sustainable contender, one team may be able to help them out.
According to a story by Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers have had 'internal discussions' about pursuing one of the Red Sox' top starting pitchers in a trade.
Grant notes the Rangers' need for starting pitching and the fact that they have money to spend, assuming they don't get Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg in free agency. Given Boston's hopes to cut payroll and rebuild their farm system, the Rangers could be a natural match.
He also speculates that the two pitchers Texas could target are David Price and Nathan Eovaldi, who the Red Sox owe a combined $147 million to over the next three seasons. It's hard to imagine Bloom getting a substantial return for either of them if he's cutting a good chunk of the payroll, but Bloom made a name for himself finding value on the margins in Tampa, especially with pitchers.
The Red Sox still have to see what J.D. Martinez decides to do. He has the ability to opt-out of the remaining three seasons of the five-year, $110 million deal he signed two years ago. If he opts in or signs a new deal with the Red Sox, Bloom might have to trim money off of the Red Sox payroll sooner rather than later.
Dave Dombrowski delivered a World Series in his time as President of Baseball Operations, but he certainly left a mess that Bloom now has to clean up to keep this team in contention for years to come. It all starts this winter, where fans will get a good idea of what the direction of the franchise will be, and it might start with some trade talks with the Rangers.
Boston Red Sox
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.