Yankees Rumors: Red Sox a legitimate landing spot to swipe former pitcher

Brian Cashman kicked off the 2025 Winter Meetings on Sunday night when he appeared on MLB Network, and it didn't exactly inspire New York Yankees fans. But we're trying to remain positive ... it's not our fault the outside forces continue to stop us.

Recent reports have suggested the Boston Red Sox, who have already added pitchers Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo this offseason, are interested in former Yankees starter Michael King. The right-hander is from Rhode Island and went to Boston College. It's likely a match made in heaven.

That would be a major problem for New York, especially after they were rumored to be interested in reuniting with the centerpiece of the 2023 Juan Soto trade with the San Diego Padres. It'd be a great fit. The Yankees cultivated King into the pitcher he is today, and there's reason to believe he can get even better in New York.

But the Red Sox have a reputation of rehabilitating former Yankees pitchers in recent years, such as Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock and Greg Weissert. King could very well be viewing them as a viable destination to further his career.

And of course, there's always the revenge factor. King can return home and make the Yankees rue the day they traded him for one year of Soto if he has any ill will toward the deal.

Yankees Rumors: Michael King could land with Red Sox in free agency

Red Sox executive Craig Breslow assured Boston fans that the team would be seeking a No. 2 starter to add to the rotation for 2026. After he acquired Gray, many believed his prior commentary was now left open to interpretation. Gray is certainly solid, and in his heyday he was a No. 2. Nowadays, he might show flashes as a No. 2, but doesn't consistently reach that mark.

If there's still room in the budget for pitching, King does feel like a perfect target for Boston. His ceiling could certainly be defined as a No. 2 (4.1 WAR, 2.95 ERA in 31 games in 2024) if he consistently hits it, but given his advanced age (he turns 31 in May), he's probably not going to command a prohibitive long-term contract. Projections have placed him somewhere in the $70-$80 million range, which feels right in line with how the Red Sox like to spend in recent years.

That's all the more reason for the Yankees to swoop in, bring him back, take a target away from their rivals, and further strengthen their rotation that has a number of injury concerns entering 2026. The longer they wait for the market to develop, the better chance a team like the Red Sox will cut them in line. We've seen this movie before.