MLB Trade Rumors: Red Sox Among ‘Best Fits’ For Top Deadline Targets

The clock is ticking for Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow as Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline approaches.

Late Wednesday night he completed a deal for St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz.

But with Matz destined for the bullpen, that still leaves a hole in the Red Sox starting rotation. On top of that, Breslow has been searching high and low for a power-hitting first baseman.

As a result, ESPN’s David Schoenfield called the Red Sox one of the best deadline fits for some of the top players on the trade market.

He listed Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly the top player on the board and noted the best fits include the Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers.

Kelly, 36, is 9-6 with a 3.22 ERA in 22 starts this season and will be a free agent after the season.

The No. 2 player on Schoenfield’s list is Baltimore Orioles slugger Ryan O’Hearn. His best fits include the Red Sox, Astros, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers.

O’Hearn, 32, is hitting .283 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs in 93 games this season. He also will be a free agent after the World Series.

Checking in at No. 6 on Schoenfield’s list is Orioles right-hander Charlie Morton. His best fits include the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Cubs, Astros, Tigers, San Diego Padres and New York Mets.

Morton, 41, is 7-8 with a 5.42 ERA in 23 games (17 starts) this season. And, yes, he is a pending free agent as well.

The Red Sox are shopping for starting pitching after losing Hunter Dobbins to a torn ACL and placing Tanner Houck back on the injured list following a setback in his rehab.

Boston could use a bat at first base after watching Triston Casas go down in May with a season-ending knee injury.