The Red Sox main focus for the upcoming trade deadline appears to be starting pitching. Their four biggest targets are Hiroki Kuroda, Ubaldo Jimenez, Rich Harden, and Erik Bedard, who is making his first off the DL tonight. The Red Sox are said to be “all over” Bedard. Personally I’d like to see Kuroda in Red Sox uniform. He’s not held together by band-aids, like Harden and Bedard, and he’s more consistent than Jimenez, whose only been able to win 10 games since 2010 All-Star break. Any of the four, if they can stay healthy, would be a huge lift to the rotation while Clay Buchholz’s back woes continue.

UPDATE 10:51: In Bedard’s start tonight he allowed 5 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks in an inning and a third. He never found any rhythm or groove and being his first start off the DL the Mariners didn’t want to risk his health at 57 pitches in the second inning. This should lower the price on Bedard, but it also shows the risk of adding Bedard.