MLB Rumors: Red Sox Linked to Former Dodgers Star Reliever

The Boston Red Sox have had a disastrous start to the 2026 season. At the time of this writing, the Red Sox have a 4-9 record and are at the bottom of the American League East standings. When noting that they entered this season with the expectation of taking another step forward from their strong 2025 campaign, this kind of start has certainly been disappointing.

With the Red Sox struggling out of the gate, it would not be surprising if they looked to improve their roster to try to get things back on track. One of their biggest needs is another impactful relief pitcher, and they are being linked to one of the best free agent relievers on the market because of it.

In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Zachary D. Rymer named the Red Sox as a potential landing spot for former Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Michael Kopech.

The Red Sox and Kopech have history, as Boston selected the 6-foot-3 righty in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft. However, the Red Sox traded him before he ever pitched a game for Boston to the White Sox as part of the deal that helped them land star pitcher Chris Sale.

When looking at the Red Sox's roster, there is no question that they could use Kopech. He would give them another strong relief pitcher with experience, which is a real need for the Red Sox right now.

In 14 games this past season with the Dodgers, Kopech had a 0-0 record, a 2.45 ERA, and 12 strikeouts. This is after he had a 4-0 record, a 1.13 ERA, and 29 strikeouts in 24 games for LA during the 2024 season.