Red Sox predicted to sign former Orioles All-Star after back-to-back Tommy John Surgeries: Report

The Boston Red Sox are committed to returning to World Series contention as soon as possible. Although they missed out on the Juan Soto sweepstakes, they were quick to make one of the biggest trades of the offseason so far. On Wednesday, Boston sent four top prospects to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for flamethrower Garrett Crochet.

Even though adding Crochet will help the team's pitching, the Boston Red Sox are reportedly not done revamping their rotation. According to MLB insider Chris Contillo, the club has been in conversations with former Baltimore Orioles starter John Means.

Although multiple Tommy John surgeries have derailed Means' career, when he is healthy and on the mound, he is an elite talent. The former All-Star was limited to only 20.2 innings last season; however, he was excellent over that span. Means posted a 2-0 record with a 2.61 ERA and 16 strikeouts.

Means could be an impactful signing for the Boston Red Sox but they would need to wait to see him take the mound as he is still recovering from the second Tommy John surgery of his career. Given that he had the procedure in June, Means will likely be out until the second half of the 2025 campaign.

Thankfully for Boston, the addition of Garrett Crochet, as well as proven talents such as Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck should be able to hold down the fort until Means' return.

If Means lands with the Red Sox, it could be a low-risk, high-reward signing for the club. While health will always be a topic of conversation, he is worth the risk. Over his seven-year MLB career, Means owns a 3.68 ERA with 334 strikeouts over 401.0 innings of work.

John Means might not be the only star pitcher that the Boston Red Sox could still pursue

John Means could be a true steal if Boston can secure him to a team-friendly contract. However, he is not the only star pitcher that the club has been linked to. According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe on Thursday, the Red Sox are one of the teams looking at another former Orioles starter — Corbin Burnes.

Boston appears to be targeting Orioles pitchers intentionally as a strategy to weaken its AL East rivals; however, Burnes is one of the top names remaining on the market. If the Red Sox could head into 2025 with Corbin Burnes, John Means, and Garrett Crochet added to their rotation, it could be a massive season for the team.