Red Sox Deal For Drew Pomeranz

By ESPN

Say this for the Boston Red Sox: They're going for it in David Ortiz's final season.

With the finish line in sight for their retiring franchise icon, the Red Sox didn't wait for the Aug. 1 trade deadline to get help for an inadequate rotation. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski didn't spare all of the organization's top prospects either, acquiring All-Star left-hander Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres for touted 18-year-old right-hander Anderson Espinoza on Thursday night in an old-fashioned, one-for-one trade between clubs with vastly different timelines for contending.

The Red Sox, who return from the All-Star break in a three-way fight for the American League East crown, get a pitcher who appears to be coming into his own at age 27 but has already reached his big league career high in innings pitched this season at 102. Meanwhile, the 38-51 Padres get an elite prospect who has been compared to a young Pedro Martinez but probably won't sniff the big leagues until at least 2019.

"I'd rather trade three [lesser]-type guys than Anderson, but that wasn't appealing to San Diego," Dombrowski said. "They really wanted more of the focus of the premium guy. There's always risk with pitchers, no matter how old they are. We know that Drew hasn't thrown this many innings. We think he can handle it. We also know there's a risk in Anderson, a young pitcher that we like a great deal."

Kershaw Could Be Back On Mound Early

The Dodgers will head into the second half of the season with a full head of steam and some good news to go along with it.

Clayton Kershaw, who hasn't pitched since June 26 because of a mild disk herniation in his lower back, could be back on the mound as early as next week, or by the end of the month at the worst.

Manager Dave Roberts announced the timetable, the first one the Dodgers have given for their ace left-hander, before the team embarked for Arizona and the second-half opener in the desert Friday against the Diamondbacks.

"We're really encouraged," Roberts told reporters Thursday. "For Clayton, not a whole lot's left. He said he's feeling well."

Friday, July 15 Schedule (All Times Central)

Texas at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Boston at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

New York Mets at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Kansas City at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

Colorado at Atlanta, 6:35 p.m.

Cleveland at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Miami at St. Louis, 7:15 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 p.m.

Toronto at Oakland, 9:05 p.m.

Houston at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

San Francisco at San Diego, 9:40 p.m.

Saturday, July 16 Schedule (All Times Central)

Texas at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Boston at New York Yankees, 3:05 p.m.

Toronto at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

Houston at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 5:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

New York Mets at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Kansas City at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Minnesota, 6:10 p.m.

Colorado at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Miami at St. Louis, 6:15 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona, 7:10 p.m.

San Francisco at San Diego, 7:40 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels, 8:05 p.m.

Sunday, July 17 Schedule (All Times Central)

Kansas City at Detroit, 12:10  p.m.

Milwaukee at Cincinnati, 12:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

Colorado at Atlanta, 12:35 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Washington, 12:35 p.m.

New York Mets at Philadelphia, 12:35 p.m.

Cleveland at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

Miami at St. Louis, 1:15 p.m.

Texas at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels, 2:35 p.m.

Toronto at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

Houston at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona, 3:10 p.m.

San Francisco at San Diego, 3:40 p.m.

Boston at New York Yankees, 7 p.m.