Boston Red Sox Trade Rumors: 6 Big Names Sawks Might Grab and Extra Analysis

With the MLB trade deadline approaching, the Boston Red Sox might have some trades to consider making. Perhaps picking up a player like Heath Bell from the San Diego Padres, Hiroki Kuroda from the Dodgers or even Jose Reyes from the Mets is the answer.

The Boston Red Sox have managed to put together a strong season through the first 102 games, going 64-38 and currently holding a three game lead over the New York Yankees in the division.

Leading the league in runs, batting average, on base percentage and slugging percentage, it's evident Boston knows a thing or two about putting up some offense.

What would give this team the big advantage against teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, the Yankees, the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants is an improved starting pitching rotation and some bullpen adjustments. With Clay Buchholz still yet to return, the Red Sox are in need of another strong starting pitcher.

Yet don't be surprised if the team begins to shop big name players that can make immediate impact offensively as well if the right deal were to come along.

Here are six players the Sox could look at as the trade deadline approaches, as well as some analysis on some changes they can make to their own bullpen with their current roster.

Brett Myers: Houston Astros

Brett Myers makes a solid aquisition for the Red Sox, as he is a solid pitcher on a team that suffers from playing for a team that fails to put up runs.

The Houston Astros are 24th in the league in runs, as his 3-11 record is not what Boston would look at. He has an ERA of 4.66 and has given up just five runs in his last two outings.

As the Sawks are in need of another pitcher in the rotation, trading for a guy like Myers wouldn't be the priciest of acquisitions.

Randy Choate: Florida Marlins

Although the Red Sox could go for a starting pitcher to add to the bullpen, possibly picking up a solid relief pitcher like Randy Choate of the Florida Marlins could be the stronger move.

With a solid pitcher like Alfredo Aceves in the rotation already, possibly giving Aceves a starting role might be the answer. Then pulling a player like Choate in might not be such a poor move. Choate would then fill the relief role for Aceves.

The lefty relief pitcher is putting up strong numbers this season despite quite an inconsistent career. Choate has posted a 1.31 ERA this season while also managing to 26 strikeouts this season in 20 innings pitched.

Heath Bell: San Diego Padres

As solid a relief pitcher as there is on the market, taking Heath Bell from the San Diego Padres could prove to be a solid move for these Sox.

With the argument that Aceves is talented enough to be a starter for these Sox in the rotation, Bell would also fit in this Sox teams well. Adding Bell as a strong Relief Pitcher while taking Aceves who has gone 5-1 on the season and starting him is another plausible move for the team.

Bell has 29 saves and has allowed just 11 runs all season.

The Alfredo Argument: Using Aceves as a SP

Alfredo Aceves is a special talent for the Boston Red Sox, a Relief Pitcher that has gone 6-1 this season and has gone at least two innings in eight of his last nine outings for the team.

Talk about production.

Of those last nine outings, three have featured outings that the guy didn't allow a single run in two to three innings of baseball.

This is all to say that the Red Sox could use a player like Aceves in the starting rotation and don't need to necessarilly go looking for a starting pitcher, as is being rumored. If the Sox were to go for a solid relief pitcher instead, it would allow Aceves to begin starting more games for the team. Players like a Heath Bell from the San Diego Padres and Randy Choate from the Florida Marlins are aquisitions that would allow this to happen.

Erik Bedard: Seattle Mariners

Erik Bedard is not the best available pitcher on the market for the Sox, yet could well be an affordable and poisitive addition in the long run.

He has a strong ERA at just 3.00 and has gone 3-2 in his last eight starts on a team well below .500.

Bedard might not be one of the bigger names on the market, yet taking a player like Bedard allows the Sox to keep their strong minor league players and ultimately save the talent for the long haul.

Jose Reyes: New York Mets

Although it would come at quite the cost, Jose Reyes might be a solid acquition for the Boston Red Sox before the trade deadline.

An All-Star this season and arguably one of the hotter players in baseball today, Jose Reyes of the New York Mets is in a plethora of trade talks as of late.

Reyes leads the NL in batting average, posting a .347 average. He has also posted an impressive 32 stolen bases and 33 runs, while batting in four homers as well. There is no doubt that the guy can play offense and field the baseball, yet what makes this acquisition problematic is the price the Sox would be looking at.

The Red Sox without question boast solid minor league talent and have a team that is playing at their optimum level right now. The question is, is it worth giving up a plethora, if not most of the young talent the team has for a player like Reyes. Although he is quite the talent, offense is not exactly missing in Boston and it might not end up being worthwhile.

Reyes is quite the talent, yet it seems a long shot for the time being. Would the move be beneficial to the team this season? More than likely.

Hiroki Kuroda: Los Angeles Dodgers

Hiroki Kuroda, starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, could also prove to be a strong move for the Red Sox before the deadline.

Kuroda might not be the easiest of the mentioned players to acquire, yet he will be a solid starting pitcher to bring into the rotation. The 36-year-old is not the youngest of players, although it would be more of a trade made to win this postseason, to try and win one right now.

This season Kuroda has put up strong numbers despite taking the mound for a team that struggles to put up runs. The Dodgers are 26th in the league in this regard. Kuroda boasts a 3.06 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP this season, as his 6-10 record isn't representative of the production he has been able to deliver.

It could potentially cost minor league talent, as that would be a tougher and pricier move to make. Kuorda makes a solid $12 million with the Dodgers this season and will likely be moved by the time the trade deadline approaches.