Manager John Farrell acknowledged on Monday that the Red Sox have been looking to bolster their pitching depth. Don’t expect that depth to come in the form of Rick Porcello, though.
The Red Sox are not currently pursuing Porcello, who has been the subject of trade speculation recently, according to FOXSports.com.
There has been plenty of talk all offseason about whether the Tigers are looking to move Porcello, and the Rangers and Padres have reportedly been the most active in pursuing the right-hander. The Orioles have reportedly also scouted Porcello, but the same, apparently, can’t be said for the Sox, who some consider to be a match.
According to the FOXSports.com report, the Red Sox would be able to satisfy the Tigers’ desire for late-inning relief help by offering Andrew Bailey. The two pitchers’ salaries line up, and the Sox acquired Joel Hanrahan this offseason to become the team’s closer, inherently giving rise to questions about Bailey’s long-term future in Boston. The Red Sox are reportedly reluctant to compromise the depth of their bullpen, though, as it figures to be one of the team’s biggest strengths this season.
The Red Sox’ starting rotation also looks set, with Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubront and John Lackey in the mix to start the season. The need for depth stems from the injury to Franklin Morales, who figured to be Boston’s spot starter this season.
Porcello went 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA in 31 starts last season. The 24-year-old owns a 48-42 record with a 4.55 ERA in 120 career starts.
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Photo via Facebook/Rick Porcello
