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With Rodriguez On DL, Should Red Sox Target Starting Pitching At Trade Deadline?

By Matthew Geagan, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox are sitting pretty at the All-Star break, atop the AL East with an MLB-best 68-30 record.

But the injuries are piling up at the back end of their starting rotation, which could change the team's approach to the trade deadline at the end of the month. Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez joined injured starters Drew Pomeranz and Steven Wright on the disabled list over the weekend thanks to the nasty right ankle injury he suffered on Saturday, and it doesn't sound like he'll be back anytime soon.

Boston manager Alex Cora sounded optimistic that E-Rod will pitch again this season, but there is still a lot of unknown with the 25-year-old's latest injury.

"There's some serious damage in the ankle," Cora told reporters at Fenway Park on Sunday. "No surgery required. He's going to have a break for two weeks and we'll re-evaluate to see where he's at."

Rodriguez was having one of the best seasons of his career, sporting an 11-3 record and 3.44 ERA over 19 starts. But he landed awkwardly on his right foot on a collision at first base with Blue Jays infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on Saturday, and for now, the Red Sox would probably be wise to plan for a potential life without Rodriguez for the rest of the season.

So it's easy to conclude that the Red Sox, even with the three-headed beast of Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello (a combined 31-16) leading the rotation, should probably go out and pick up another starter ahead of the deadline. Rodriguez's injury was a big blow to all those great feelings about the Boston rotation in the first half, and changes quite a bit with the team's approach to the trade bazaar.

While fishing for another starter is always a good practice, Boston shouldn't be in a rush to overpay for anyone. Yes, the saying goes you can never have enough pitching, but for now, the Red Sox should have enough in-house options to stem the tide. Lefty Brian Johnson was activated from the 10-day DL and got the start on Sunday and will take Rodriguez's spot next Saturday against the Detroit Tigers. Hector Velazquez will get the nod next Tuesday in Baltimore after starting the unofficial second half of the season in the bullpen. Between Johnson and Velazquez, Boston should be able to papier-mache the 4-5 spots in the Boston rotation.

Pomeranz, shelved since June 5 with left biceps tendinitis, is set to make his fourth rehab start with the Pawtucket Red Sox on Wednesday. He hasn't been all that great, allowing nine runs on 13 hits and five walks over 9.1 innings over his first three rehab starts, so maybe the Red Sox shouldn't rely on him to give them too much out of the back of the rotation. But he won 17 games last season, and if he's your fifth starter (allowing Velazquez to move back to the pen), the Red Sox are in good shape.

Names like Cole Hamels and J.A. Happ will cost a pretty penny and will should land whatever team acquires them at the deadline in the "winners" circle. But while losing Rodriguez is a big hit to Boston's depth in the starting rotation, there is a much bigger need in the bullpen at the deadline. Johnson, Velazquez, Pomeranz and Wright all carry their share of question marks, but the Red Sox should be able to piece together something that resembles the back-end of a starting rotation without surrendering any kind of assets. The hope is that none of them would be called upon to make more important starts come October.

That doesn't mean Dombrowski shouldn't inquire about veteran pitchers who could come in and give Boston a dozen or so starts the rest of the way. If a starter becomes available at an affordable cost, adding another arm to the mix is never a bad option for a team with championship aspirations. But for now, even with the immediate future of Rodriguez extremely murky, the Red Sox should be in no rush to go out and overspend for a rental in their rotation.

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