Red Sox: Scott Downs
Source: Sox not close to anything
General manager Theo Epstein has been looking for bullpen help, but has come up empty, so he will turn his attention internally. According to the source, if the Red Sox do not acquire bullpen help at today’s deadline, they will convert lefty pitching prospect Felix Doubront to a reliever and promote him along with righthander Michael Bowden from Triple-A to pitch out of the Sox bullpen.
If Epstein doesn’t pull off a last-second deal this afternoon, he’ll likely make an August waiver deal.
The Sox were in the running to acquire Blue Jays reliever Scott Downs, but the asking price was too high, according to a baseball source, and the Sox weren’t willing to give up top prospects, including pitcher Casey Kelly, and draft picks.
That possibility may well be predicated on whether the Sox succeed in lining up additional relief help, although the same source said that the Sox are not prepared to pay the price of at least one quality prospect, and possibly two, that the Toronto Blue Jays are asking in return for lefty Scott Downs.
Another lefty that could pop up on the Sox radar is Nationals left-hander Sean Burnett, whose changeup has not been as good as it was before he underwent Tommy John surgery but he still throws a 91- to 93-mile-an-hour fastball and has put up pretty good numbers for the Nats: a 3.03 ERA in 45 appearances, 32 hits and 12 walks in 32 2/3 IP, with 31 strikeouts. Oddly, his lefty-righty splits are backwards this season: He is holding righties to a .184 average, while lefties are batting .321.
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UPCOMING GAMES
| W-L | HM | AW | STK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAM | 27-18 | 17-7 | 10-11 | W2 | |
| BOS | 22-22 | 9-11 | 13-11 | W1 |
| W-L | HM | AW | STK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAM | 27-18 | 17-7 | 10-11 | W2 | |
| BOS | 22-22 | 9-11 | 13-11 | W1 |
| W-L | HM | AW | STK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAM | 27-18 | 17-7 | 10-11 | W2 | |
| BOS | 22-22 | 9-11 | 13-11 | W1 |