Red Sox Rumors: Greinke, Hamels, Johnson, Garza

The Boston Red Sox are more likely to target starting pitchers that will be under team control beyond the 2012 season, reports Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald:

While the Sox are monitoring most available pitchers, a major league source today suggested GM Ben Cheringtonis more likely to target starters who will be under contract beyond this season.

Lauber goes on to say that this means the Red Sox are more likely to target a starting pitcher such as Chicago Cubs right-hander Matt Garza or Josh Johnson of Miami Marlins rather than Cole Hamels or Zack Greinke, as Hamels and Greinke are set to hit the open market following the 2012 season.

The source that Lauber spoke with told him this thought process, pursuing non-rentals, is the reason the Red Sox never made a strong push to acquire free agent-to-be Ryan Dempster.

Boston entered the day a game under .500 and in the basement of the American League East. Still, the Red Sox remain only four games out of the final AL wild-card spot.

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Should the Red Sox buy, sell, or sit tight?

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