After acquiring left-handed ace Garrett Crochet in a trade with the Chicago White Sox, the Boston Red Sox are reportedly still scouring the market for starting pitching. The Red Sox were reportedly in on both Max Fried and Blake Snell before they signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees respectively. The team has also been linked to free agent starter Corbin Burnes, to varying degrees of reported interest. But their eyes may be on another free agent starter coming from Baltimore.

“Have heard the Red Sox have had some talks with John Means, who is a free agent,” said Chris Cotillo of MassLive on Twitter. Though Means is a far cry from Fried or Burnes, the Red Sox appear to be attempting to bolster the middle of their rotation with Crochet now presumably sitting atop it.

Means, however, does not come without concern. The 31-year-old has not pitched a full season since 2021 in which he posted a 3.26 ERA over 26 starts with a 134-to-26 strikeout-to-walk ratio. After just two starts in 2022, Means underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the rest of the season. He would go on to pitch just 23 2/3 innings the following year in 2023. The left-hander came into 2024 in need of a bounce-back season, but instead underwent another Tommy John surgery in May.

Though the Red Sox need starting pitching, and are reportedly hesitant to pay Corbin Burnes, Means’ repeated injury history raises some questions. Boston may need pitching, but what they don’t need is to pay another pitcher for a full season of rehab à la Chris Sale, Lucas Giolito, Liam Kendricks, etc.

The acquisition would be a risky one, but the Red Sox’s needs remain for starting pitching, and the clock is ticking as the free agent market shrinks by the day.