The Red Sox have been actively searching for relief help this week, with the MLB trade deadline approaching, and so far, have come up empty. No Trevor Hoffman, Scott Downs or Kerry Wood (at least, not yet). So it makes sense then that Boston would look within.
According to Alex Speier at WEEI, Felix Doubront will head to the bullpen in the hopes of providing some much needed help out there (Boston's bullpen is sporting a robust 4.43 ERA, to go along with the most home runs allowed in the A.L. and the second-most blown saves).
Doubront, a 22-year old left handed starting pitcher, has made three spot starts for Boston this season (1-2, 4.11 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 15.1 IP), and the Red Sox had hoped to keep him in the rotation in Pawtucket, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
However, with the team's ongoing bullpen struggles, the Sox have committed to shifting him to relief for the remainder of the year, a process that will begin immediately. According to the sources, Doubront's shift to relief will occur regardless of whether the Sox make any moves to acquire bullpen help. [...]
With the Sox lacking an effective lefty in the bullpen right now (given the struggles of Hideki Okajima), his potential to contribute as a reliever became increasingly appealing to the Sox, particularly given the available options on the trade market.