The Boston Red Sox are in the market for a "high-end" starter or shortstop and tried to send outfielder Carl Crawford to the Miami Marlins earlier this month for SS Jose Reyes, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post:

Another official said, the Red Sox are trying to find a high-end starter or a shortstop in this market, "but what is interesting about them is they can stay exactly as they are and, if the talent plays, they can and will make a run."

The Red Sox earlier this month did try to flip Carl Crawford to the Marlins for Jose Reyes to address the shortstop situation.

While there was a rumor going around in the middle of July involving Crawford and the Marlins, Rob Bradford reports that Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington told WEEI.com there was "never any teeth to conversations with Miami about Crawford." The GM added that there was "just one conversation."

Still, an AL executive Sherman spoke with said Boston wants Crawford "out in the worst way."

As far as high-end starting pitching goes, the Red Sox have been tied to some of the market’s biggest names this summer. However, it was reported this week by Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald that the Red Sox are more interested in pitchers that are under team control beyond the 2012 season. This would include Josh Johnson of the Marlins and Chicago Cubs right-hander Matt Garza.

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Do the Red Sox need an upgrade at shortstop?

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