If you're Theo Epstein, one important question on his mind is return to health of Ellsbury, Beckett, Cameron, Martinez, Pedroia, Delcarmen, Lowell & Varitek. This answer certainly impacts what needs to be done at the trade deadline later this month.
Cameron is playing day-to-day as he can tolerate the pain from his sports hernia. Beckett is making a rehab start in Pawtucket today &, if all goes well, could be back on the mound shortly after the All-Star break. Ellsbury is ready to resume baseball activities & eyes a possible return in early August.
Everyone else on the DL is "iffy" from a time standpoint of returning to the lineup. And starting today 6 games behind the Yankees in the loss column doesn't allow for just treading water over the last 2 1/2 months. We need to put a team on the field that can win every 2 out of 3 for awhile to get back in the race.
To me Pedroia & Martinez are the keys. Martinez may be back sooner than Pedroia, but what does that mean? Late July. Early August. It's a guessing game as to whether the Sox will still be in contention by then. Their super-crew of fill-ins & replacements seem to have hit the wall, along with a variety of pitchers going through rough patches.
If I'm Theo, I would trade for bullpen help. Then, I would pray that Pedroia & Martinez get back into the lineup sooner than later.
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