Red Sox Looking to Add Reliever

The Boston Red Sox are on pace to set a franchise record in wins. But that doesn’t mean they are completely satisfied with their current roster.

Bolstering their bullpen—which has been shaky in recent weeks—remains the top priority for Boston, according to multiple reports. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports and Jim Bowden of The Athletic claim that the Red Sox are keeping their eyes on many relief pitchers with the non-waiver trade deadline approaching on Tuesday afternoon.

Red Sox still determined to add relief help. Looking into yates, kela, ziegler and many, many others. Have some luxury tax concerns as they are at an MLB high $238M already (not that they haven’t spent well; they have by far baseballs best record)

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 30, 2018

#Phillies #RedSox #Astros #Mariners “in” on practically every reliever available from Kela to Barraclough to Rodney to Norris to Clippard to Yates to Romo to Stammen to Parker to Conley to Diekman to Ziegler should be an interesting last 36 hours until trade deadline 4pm et  Tues

— Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenGM) July 30, 2018

The Red Sox are said to have significant interest in San Diego Padres relievers Craig Stammen and Kirby Yates. Boston recently scouted both pitchers, according to the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo. Stammen, who has posted a 2.63 ERA with 58 strikeouts on the season, and Yates, holding a 1.6 ERA with 50 K’s in 2018, are on affordable contracts. Stammen signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract before the season. Yates is earning just over $1 million and has a few arbitration trips remaining.

Bud Norris could be another target for Boston, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A free agent at the end of the year, Norris has registered a 3.14 ERA with a 41 percent ground-ball rate with the St. Louis Cardinals this season.

Bud Norris is having arguably the best season of his career. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Miami Marlins reliever Brad Ziegler has also been linked to the Red Sox. Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports that Ziegler (3.98 ERA) has received interest from the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians, as well. He is also a free agent at season’s end.

The Red Sox boast a 74-33 record and a 5.5 game lead over the second-place New York Yankees in the AL East. They are on pace to win 112 games, which would be their fourth 100-win season in franchise history and first since 1946. The 1912 Red Sox hold the team-record for most wins in a season with 106.

But the postseason presents another challenge for a Boston team that has won just one playoff contest in their last two playoff series. Given the recent struggles of Joe Kelly, adding another arm in the pen may be necessary to get the Red Sox over the hump in late-October.