Ben Cherington: Red Sox ‘Not Actively Engaged’ In Starting Pitching Market

The Boston Red Sox’s 2015 starting rotation could be comprised of five pitchers already on the roster.

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington over the weekend reiterated his stance that he’s comfortable with Boston’s rotation as constructed. There’s been some debate as to whether the Red Sox should pursue a No. 1 starter, but Cherington insisted the team wasn’t closing in on any deals as of Saturday.

“You never close your eyes to opportunities, but we’re not actively engaged in anything right now,” Cherington told reporters of the starting pitching market during a conference call. “We’d feel very good if we opened the season with the guys we have.”

The Red Sox already acquired starters Wade Miley, Rick Porcello and Justin Masterson this offseason, meaning that trio likely will complement holdovers Clay Buchholz and Joe Kelly. The Sox also have several promising pitching prospects coming up through the system, prompting Cherington to express satisfaction with the team’s current situation.

“We know the Opening Day rotation is rarely static and things happen, and we think we have the depth to deal with that,” Cherington said. “But we’ll see. We’ll keep an open mind. We like the direction the team is heading in.”

It’s possible Cherington is playing his cards close to his vest. After all, there isn’t much incentive for the GM to say he wants another starter, especially after adding three formidable hurlers. The more likely scenario, however, is that Boston adds to its bullpen before pursuing a legitimate “ace.”

“I wouldn’t rule out adding to the bullpen externally in some way between now and spring training,” Cherington said. “It’s one area where you can typically find some opportunities externally later in the offseason — past the holidays, January or even during spring training. We’ll keep an open eye on that.”

The Red Sox’s offseason has been unpredictable to this point. As such, one shouldn’t assume anything, one way or the other. It sounds like a lot of Boston’s heavy lifting might already be done, though.

Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY SPORTS Images