The Boston Red Sox have taken action against Baltimore Orioles free agent John Means, according to a report

The Boston Red Sox have spoken to free-agent pitcher John Means, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reported Thursday.

Means, 31, underwent Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career in June, meaning he likely won’t pitch for the first half of the 2025 regular season. The Baltimore Orioles, who drafted Means in 2014, let the left-hander hit the open market last month.

In four starts last season, Means went 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA, 0.871 WHIP and 0.7 WAR.

Means was a runner-up for All-Star and AL Rookie of the Year in 2019, going 12-11 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.135 WHIP and 4.4 WAR over 155.0 innings. He remained a fixture in the Orioles’ rotation in 2020 and then became their Opening Day starter in both 2021 and 2022.

However, Means underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2022, which sidelined him for the remainder of that season and most of next season. Baltimore signed the southpaw to a two-year, $5.925 million contract to avoid arbitration while he recovered, but he went down again in mid-2024.

Means has made a total of 10 starts over the last three seasons, but he has been effective when healthy. Between 2022 and 2024, Means went 3-2 with a 2.75 ERA, 0.860 WHIP, and 1.6 WAR, averaging 5.1 innings per start.

The Red Sox completed a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, acquiring All-Star starter Garrett Crochet in exchange for four top prospects. And yet their interest in Means, Corbin Burnes, Luis Castillo and others suggests they’re not done adding to their rotation just yet.

Crochet, Brayan Bello and Tanner Houck are virtually locked into Boston’s rotation for 2025. Kutter Crawford could also lay claim to a starting spot, considering 68 of his 85 big league appearances over the past three seasons have been as starters.

Then there’s top prospect Richard Fitts, who posted a 1.74 ERA and 0.6 WAR in his first four MLB starts in 2024. Swingman Cooper Criswell is also in the game, as are former All-Stars Lucas Giolito and Michael Fulmer, both of whom are coming without UCL surgeries of their own.

Since Means wouldn’t be able to reach the top of the majors until late 2025, he wouldn’t fill the immediate needs of Boston, whose front office appears to be looking for another reliable starter. Regardless, the Red Sox had no problem signing Fulmer and All-Star closer Liam Hendriks last winter, despite knowing full well they would miss all of 2024.

Fund could be the Red Sox’ latest reclamation project – one with an incredibly high ceiling upon his return.

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