Red Sox News & Links: Sox Reportedly Only Looking At Minor Trade Additions

With the Sox playing like one of the best teams in baseball over the last couple of weeks, there are reports that, while they’re planning on being buyers at the trade deadline, they’re not planning on buying anything fancy. Apparently, they’re only in the hunt for a right-handed middle reliever and a back-of-the-rotation starter. A reunion with Rich Hill has been floated a few times, though not necessarily from anyone in-the-know. (Rob Bradford, WEEI)

Speaking of middle relievers, Richard Bleier is back! Did you miss him? No? Really? You actually kind of forgot he was gone in the first place? Oh, okay, well that’s understandable. But regardless of how faulty your memory is, the lefty has finally returned from a lengthy rehab, with Jake Faria getting the DFA after his ugly garbage time outing against the Cubs. Believe it not, with Bleier’s return the Red Sox now have six lefties in the bullpen. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

Could Nick Pivetta end up back in the rotation to fill the glaring holes there? After last night’s historic relief performance, it seems like a good fit. But while there’s a good chance he starts a game or two over the next few weeks, Alex Cora sounds like he doesn’t really want to mess with a good thing. (Keagan Stiefel, NESN)

We don’t think too much about how stressful the trade deadline must be for the players who know they’re on the block. Chris Martin has been through it before and talks about it. (Ryan Gilbert, WEEI)

When polished, “professional hitter” veterans like Justin Turner sign with a team, we inevitably hear a lot about them being “second hitting coaches.” With respect to Turner, he really does seem to fit the bill. He has a lot of thoughts about modern hitting instruction and isn’t shy about pontificating. (Julian McWilliams, Boston Globe)

And finally, something that was apparently written just for me: a writer on what he’s learned about composing prose from watching Pedro Martinez. (Will Harrison, NY Times)