Pirates Rumors: Pittsburgh Seeking Bullpen Help From Red Sox

The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the lookout for bullpen help for the final two weeks on the season and have the Boston Red Sox's pen on their radar, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

Pirates are in need of bullpen help and have been looking at Boston's batch.

— Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) September 17, 2012

The search for bullpen help mid-way through September seems as though it may be a case of too little too late for the Pirates, who are just two game over .500 following a terrible month and a half of baseball. However, the Pirates still stand just two and a half games out of the second wild card, so a small bullpen boost could still propel Pittsburgh into a playoff spot.

The Red Sox could potentially part ways with impending free agent Vicente Padilla or the disgruntled Alfredo Aceves, but neither have had very productive seasons. The Bucs' last-minute search for a late-inning arm makes one wonder if the team is second-guessing the release of right-hander Juan Cruz -- he of the 2.78 ERA in thirty-five and two-thirds innings -- three weeks ago.

Any reliever the Bucs may acquire will not be eligible for the postseason if the team can make it that far.