It’s a story that has been written countless times this season, but it remains true all the same: The Boston Red Sox need starting pitching.

Going into the season, Boston’s starting rotation was comprised mainly of pitchers who had spent significant time in the bullpen in years past. Amazingly enough, those starters excelled early in the season but quickly wore down as the year went along. After the All-Star break, the pitching staff imploded, and much of that was due to the starters’ inexperience.

Ironically enough, the Red Sox’s starting pitching has been the only thing keeping them in games for most of September. But it’s an issue that needs to be addressed on the whole, and the quality of the help Boston brings in will correlate directly with how much the front office is willing to spend.

If Boston is willing to shop in the high-end section of the market this winter, it’s hard to imagine a better option than the Atlanta Braves’ lefty star Max Fried. Fried was named the ‘best overall’ fit for the Red Sox among free-agent starters by Henry Blickenstaff of FanSided on Saturday.

“(Fried) has consistently excelled at inducing weak contact, a valuable asset at hitter-friendly Fenway,” Blickenstaff said. “At 30 years old, Fried can contribute for Boston for several years, and although he won’t be cheap, he should be a more affordable option than Corbin Burnes, the star of this year’s free agent pitching class.”

Of the free-agent pitching options available, Fried will certainly fall on the high end of the contract spectrum.Tim Britton of The Athletic predicted before the season that the two-time All-Star will command roughly seven years and $195 million.

The Red Sox have to be willing to run with the big dogs for once. Fried is the type of addition that could turn their entire 2025 outlook around. They need a workhorse, and they’d also love to have a lefty. Fried is both, and he’d make everyone else around him in the rotation better.

But given Boston’s track record the last few offseasons, especially with pitchers, it’s likely most fans aren’t holding their breath. It’s on Craig Breslow and ownership to prove things will be different this winter.