With the Boston Red Sox clinging to a half-game lead in the ever-tight A.L. East race, the team is on the market for what no World Series contender can ever have enough of: pitching, pitching and more pitching. The MLB Network's Peter Gammons tweeted Thursday morning that the Red Sox have scouts at pretty much every possible trade-deadline acquisition out there. They were at Bud Norris' start for the Astros Wednesday night and will have people at starts by Yovani Gallardo (Brewers), Edinson Volquez (Padres) and Jake Peavy (White Sox) on Thursday.
[caption id="attachment_320" align="alignright" width="285" caption="Will Jake Peavy be trading "Sox" colors?"]
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Peavy has made it clear he is not terribly interested in moving, but with the White Sox completely out of it and Peavy not having a no-trade clause in his contract, he is open to the possibility.
Peavy has a disappointing 4.19 ERA in 12 starts for the White Sox this year. However, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is still an impressive 69-15 and he holds a 1.164 WHIP. The 32 year-old's contract expires after 2014, but he holds a $15 million player option for 2015.
The 28 year-old Norris is one of the deadline's hottest commodities, being one of the few bright spots for the lowly Houston Astros, who are always eager to stockpile prospects. He just entered his first year of arbitration and has a 3.93 ERA in 21 starts this season.
The Brewers' Gallardo had been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball for his first four years in the Bigs, but has regressed significantly this year. The 27 year-old is struggling with a 4.58 ERA, 1.417 WHIP and just a 2-1 strikeout-walk in 21 starts.
Volquez is the lone player on this list in a contract year, as he signed just a one-year deal this past offseason. He would seemingly be the last target for the Red Sox, given his 5.73 ERA and 1.569 WHIP while pitching in the lowly N.L. West.
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