The Boston Red Sox do not have a major league “ace” on their pitching staff. At least that is how it would appear after a dreadful collapse during the 2011 season. Josh Beckett gave up. Jon Lester was just good, and Clay Buccholz was injured.
There are very few teams in baseball that actually do have an ace at the front end of their rotation. The Yankees do in C.C. Sabathia. The Giants do in Tim Lincecum. The Seattle Mariners do in Felix Hernandez.
The Red Sox do not.
According to an interview he had on WEEI, Larry Lucchino is not ruling out any major trades this year, and I feel that the time may be right to do such a thing.
Having said that, here are five reasons why the Red Sox should make a deal for Felix Hernandez.