The Red Sox shouldn't mess around at Thursday's MLB trade deadline. With the team right in the thick of the playoff race, the Boston brass has to go for it. 

A fourth straight October without playoff baseball will not be acceptable. Not when the 2025 Boston Red Sox have shown us that with a little more help, they could make some noise this fall. 

"I know Craig [Breslow] and the group, they're working hard," Boston manager Alex Cora told WEEI on Tuesday. "The phones and calling people, and the expectations are for us to be better or to improve the team in the upcoming days, right? That's not a guarantee that we're going to be better, but the hope is that we improve the team, and then we keep playing good baseball."

Boston got things started late Wednesday night when they added relief pitcher Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Blaze Jordan.  

Boston's needs are pretty straightforward. Cora's club could use another starting pitcher to help a staff that continues to get bit by the injury bug and inconsistency. They could use more reliable arms out of the bullpen, but which contender couldn't go for that at the moment? And as solid as Abraham Toro has been since Tristan Casas went down, the Red Sox could use a right-handed bat to give them an upgrade at first base.

Chances are Breslow won't be able to address all those needs, but he has options on Thursday. He has a collection of prospects to pluck from if he wants to go big and make a move that will help both the present and the future. He can still make an impactful trade or two without sending out the farm. 

What Breslow cannot do is stand pat and say he tried, putting blame on the high asking prices the wide-open playoff field brings. Prices are always high at the trade deadline. It's the last chance for teams to really bolster their roster and fill any holes before the final push. 

If the Red Sox are serious about making a run and returning to the postseason for the first time since 2021, they'll do something impactful at the deadline. If it's all been a bunch of lip service, then we'll get even more of lip service following another disappointing and inactive deadline.

We'll find out what the Boston front office really thinks by 6 p.m. Thursday evening.

Will Red Sox add a starter at deadline?

After ace Garrett Crochet, the Boston rotation has been a mixed bag. Injuries to key starters Tanner Houck, Hunter Dobbins, and Kutter Crawford (who has been out all season) have really tested the depth of the Sox rotation, and has also taxed the bullpen.

Minnesota's Joe Ryan would be an incredible pickup, giving Boston a 1A after Crochet. But he's going to take a massive haul to pry from the Twins, and might be something teams revisit in the offseason.

Boston could use a legit No. 2, but it will be mostly 3-4 starters who get moved. And even those guys will come with a big price tag. 

But landing another starter would allow Cora to potentially use Richard Fitts (who has struggled as a starter and was recently sent to Worcester) and Houck (if he returns) to the bullpen. 

Who is available at the deadline? It's mostly guys who are having a down year and looking for a change of scenery, but that doesn't mean they'll go for cheap. This will require a balancing act from Breslow, who can't give up the team's top prospects simply to land a No. 3 or No. 4 starter for a few months. (Give up everyone for Joe Ryan through, if available.)

Zach Gallen, Diamondbacks: The 29-year-old righty has made 22 starts for the D-Backs this season, but he's got a 5.60 ERA and 1.354 WHIP -- both of which represent career-worsts -- and leads the National League in home runs allowed (23) and earned runs (79). But he went 43-19 with a 3.20 ERA over the three previous seasons, so Gallen can indeed pitch -- or at least he used to be able to. 

Gallen is an upcoming free agent so he'd be a rental for Boston.

Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks: Another potential sell-off piece by Arizona, the 36-year-old Kelly is having a better season than Gallen at 9-6 with a 3.22 ERA and 1.057 WHIP over his 22 starts. The right-hander has a 3.74 ERA over his seven-year career and will be a free agent after the season.

Boston has shown interest in both Gallen and Kelly, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford. 

Zack Littell, Rays: The 29-year-old righty has made 50 starts for Tampa over the last two seasons, going 16-18 with a 3.67 ERA over that span. He's 8-8 with a 3.72 ERA this season, but has allowed an AL-high 26 home runs. 

You'll notice a trend here, but Littell will be a free agent after the season. 

Mitch Keller, Pirates: Keller is just 4-10 for the lowly Pirates, but he has a 3.69 ERA on the season. And unlike other starters mentioned, he won't be a free agent after the season, as he's signed through 2028 at an average annual salary of $18.5 million. The team control will increase Pittsburgh's asking price, but Merrill would fit in nicely to the middle of the Boston rotation.

The Red Sox have already reportedly inquired about a Keller swap with Pittsburgh.

Dylan Cease, Padres: Alright, back to pending free agent pitchers who are struggling this season. Cease is just 3-10 with a 4.79 ERA in his 22 starts for San Diego. He won 14 games in his 33 starts for the Padres last season.

Sandy Alcantara, Marlins: It's unclear if the Marlins will actually move the 29-year-old Alcantara, who is 5-9 with a 6.66 ERA over 20 starts this season. He missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John, but won the NL Cy Young in 2022 when he had a 2.28 ERA for Miami over 228.2 innings. He is signed through 2026, with a $21 million club option for the 2027 season.

The Red Sox reportedly inquired about Alcantara, and have told Miami not to move him "without checking back with us," according to Mass Live's Sean McAdam.

Charlie Morton, Orioles: This would be adding an arm just to add an arm at a cheap price. The 41-year-old Morton is 6-8 with a 5.48 ERA, which was at 6.88 just two months ago. He'd eat innings, but that's about it.

Reliever options for Red Sox at trade deadline

Twins closer Jhoan Duran was on Boston's radar, but he was traded to the Phillies for a pair of minor leaguers Wednesday. 

Griffin Jax, Twins: If the Red Sox whiff on Duran, Jax has also been pretty elite out of the back end of the Minnesota bullpen. He makes a lot of batters miss, with 72 strikeouts in 46 innings this season. The 30-year-old is averaged 14.1 strikeouts per nine innings this season, and 10.1 for his five-year career. (UPDATE: Jax gave up three runs off three hits to Boston on Wednesday without recording an out in the eighth inning.)

As an added bonus, Duran is signed through the 2027 season.

David Bednar, Pirates: A two-time All-Star closer, Bednar has 17 saves and a 2.37 ERA this season for Pittsburgh despite struggling to start the season. He threw 22.1 innings without allowing an earned run from May 24 through July 26. The 30-year-old has one more year of arbitration before he hits free agency after the 2027 season.

Phil Maton, Cardinals: St. Louis closer Ryan Helsley is one of the most sought-after reliever ahead of the deadline, but the 32-year-old Maton would be a solid pickup too. The righty has a 2.35 ERA over his 40 appearances this season, fanning 48 batters over his 38.1 innings. He also has a 2.57 ERA over his 26 games of postseason experience.

Right-handed bats for Red Sox at trade deadline

Yandy Diaz, Rays: The 34-year-old would bring plenty of pop from the right side of the plate, with Diaz slashing .283/.345/.469 with 18 homers and 19 doubles this season. He seems destined to be a full-time DH, but is under team control through the 2027 season.

Christian Vazquez, Twins: A reunion with Vazquez wouldn't bring much offense. But it would give Boston a solid backup catcher behind Carlos Narvaez, who has put in a lot of work behind the plate this season and has looked gassed as of late. Vazquez wouldn't cost much to acquire.

Other Red Sox trade rumors

While we highlighted a few starters with control, McAdam reported Tuesday the chances of Boston landing one of those at the deadline is "negligible." 

"With so little pitching inventory available to begin with, the handful of starters with more than a year of control remaining is short, and accordingly, the ask is through the roof," noted McAdam.

One guy who won't move off the Boston roster is outfielder Jarren Duran, according to a report by WEEI's Rob Bradford earlier in the week. It takes one of Breslow's best trade chips out of the mix, so we'll see if the Boston brass would reconsider that stance should a team come in and blow them away with an offer. 

Check back leading up to Thursday's 6 p.m. MLB trade deadline for all the updated rumors and rumblings surrounding the Boston Red Sox.