By Sean McAdam
CSNNE.com Red Sox InsiderFollow @sean_mcadam
CHICAGO -- With hours to go before the non-waiver trade deadline, the Red Sox options seem, to be kind, limited.
Having pulled out of a deal which would have landed them Rich Harden from the Oakland A's because of concerns with Harden's medical reports, the Sox are still searching for a starter.
Beyond revisiting Seattle's Erik Bedard -- whom they were not impressed with in his Friday start -- the Sox would seem to have little to choose from.
Ubaldo Jimenez was dealt to Cleveland and Hiroki Kuroda isn't going anywhere, having told the Los Angeles Dodgers that he wasn't willing to waive his no-trade clause.
If they fail to come up with a starter, the Sox could always attack the problem from another direction by building up the back end of their bullpen. Then, instead of getting a middle-of-the-rotation starter, the Sox could rely on a deeper, more dominating bullpen to cover more innings.
The San Diego Padres are making Heath Bell available and could be talked into moving Mike Adams, though the price on the latter will be significant, given that Adams would be under control through the end of 2012. (Bell is a free agent this winter.)
UPDATE: Adams reportedly is being traded to the Texas Rangers.
Boston Red Sox
Building up the bullpen with another late-inning arm might free up Alfredo Aceves to be moved back into the rotation if either Tim Wakefield or Andrew Miller falter.
Sean McAdam can be reached at smcadam@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Sean on Twitter at http:twitter.comsean_mcadam