Alex Cora Sees This As Red Sox Area Of Need Ahead Of Trade Deadline

The Boston Red Sox have held their starting rotation together over the last month or so with some duct tape, glue and strong performances from Brayan Bello.

Chris Sale, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock are all on the injured list leaving a thin Boston rotation down to just three healthy starters. But the Red Sox have made do, with the schedule working in their favor and manager Alex Cora getting creative by using openers two out of every five games as of late.

"We've taken advantage of the schedule in a sense for the pitching department," Cora told WEEI's "Gresh and Fauria" show Tuesday. "With all the off days, I think we've been able to get away with having three starters and Nick (Pivetta). Nick is quote-unquote a starter, too, but we use him as a reliever and the off days have benefitted us."

But Cora understands the Red Sox won't get away with their starting rotation as currently constituted for much longer.

"At one point in the season, it's going to get heavy with the schedule," Cora said. "We play 10 games in a row starting next month and then we got a (16)-day stretch that we play in a row with(out) an off day. By that time, we probably need another starter."

The Red Sox have just three off days all of August, creating a jam-packed schedule that will require as many arms as possible. Boston could certainly get back Sale and Houck by that point as they progress from their injuries, but there's been no timetable established for their returns. That's true for Whitlock as well, who has yet to start throwing after landing on the IL at the beginning of this month with right elbow inflammation.

That could force Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom to look outside the organization for help ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline. The New York Mets and Chicago White Sox could have options for the Red Sox if they so choose to bolster the starting rotation.

"I know Chaim is working hard with the front office and thinking about what we can do to improve the team but at the same time think about the future of the organization," Cora said. "It's exciting times right now."