Report: Red Sox pushing to add starting pitcher

The Boston Red Sox appear to be on the hunt for help in the rotation.

Boston is pushing to add a starter and would prefer to act sooner rather than later, sources told Ken Rosenthal of The Atheltic.

The Red Sox have been without starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi for most of the season, and the right-hander will be used as the team's closer when he returns from the injured list.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman and San Francisco Giants southpaw Madison Bumgarner are among the top starting pitchers who are reportedly being shopped ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. The latter has the Red Sox listed as one of the teams in his no-trade clause.

Other starters who have been rumored to be available are Matthew Boyd of the Detroit Tigers, Mike Leake of the Seattle Mariners, Andrew Cashner of the Baltimore Orioles, Danny Duffy of the Kansas City Royals, Tanner Roark of the Cincinnati Reds, and Zack Wheeler of the New York Mets.

In the meantime, the Red Sox could use right-hander Hector Velazquez, knuckleballer Steven Wright, or an "opener" to go along with with a four-man rotation of Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello, and Eduardo Rodriguez.