3 Best-Case Trade Scenarios for the Boston Red Sox at the Deadline

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The Boston Red Sox need starting pitching help, and the trade deadline is a perfect place to find the ace that they desperately need.

Someone with the makeup of a Zack Greinke or Matt Garza would fit perfectly into the hunt for one of the two wild-card spots down the stretch. Plus, the Red Sox need to still clean house a little bit, so they might include a Jon Lester or Josh Beckett in one of these deals. These players may have struggled a lot this season, but they are still viable options as starting pitchers going forward.

Red Sox Somehow Acquire Zack Greinke

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With Cole Hamels out of the picture thanks to an extension being inked with the Philadelphia Phillies, Zach Greinke is one of the best pitches out on the trading block.

There are multiple teams in the hunt for the Milwaukee Brewers ace. He is 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 21 starts so far in 2012. He has the stuff to be a great starting pitcher for multiple years and pitched in the AL before when he started his career with the Kansas City Royals and won the Cy Young in 2009.

Matt Garza Comes to Town

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Before heading to the Chicago Cubs in 2011, Matt Garza spent his whole career in the AL and pitched fairly well in the AL East. With the Tampa Bay Rays, he went 34-31 before he was shipped out of town after struggling in 2010.

Garza is only 5-7 on the season with a 3.91 ERA. He has struggled with the longball and has allowed 15 home runs on the season. The right-hander is only 28, though, and could be a great starter for the Red Sox going forward.

Paul Maholm Traded

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Paul Maholm is on a very hot streak and is someone the Red Sox should consider acquiring before July 31.

The lefty has been brilliant of late with a 5-0 record and an ERA south of 1.00. He has also struck out 27 batters in 38 innings and has not given up more than one earned run in any of those outings.

The Red Sox could probably ship Jon Lester or Josh Beckett in a deal for this 30-year-old whom they should have signed as a free agent in the offseason.