McAdam: Upcoming start by Drew Pomeranz could dictate Red Sox' deadline moves

DETROIT -- At the start of the season, it was doubtful anyone had a July game at Camden Yards circled as one of the most significant games on the Red Sox calendar.

The Orioles, after all, are 41 games below .500, reside deep in the A.L. East basement and in the middle of a tear-down that began during the All-Star break when they dealt off franchise infielder Manny Machado. The Sox have won nine of the first 10 head-to-head meetings.

And yet, Tuesday night could determine how much work Dave Dombrowski has to do between now and the July 31 non-waiver deadline.

The Red Sox are already in the market for bullpen reinforcements, scouting a number of available relievers across both leagues in an effort to fortify their chances to win the division, and beyond, succeed in the post-season.

But the recent ankle injury to Eduardo Rodriguez has left them perilously thin in the starting rotation as well. The Red Sox minor league system is, in the estimation of many rival organizations, virtually threadbare, leaving the team with limited resources to address multiple needs.

Obviously, the Sox would prefer to focus on upgrading their relief core and not have to divide up their limited resources to fill two roster holes.

And that's where Drew Pomeranz comes in.

Manager Alex Cora announced Friday the lefty would return to the Red Sox rotation in the next series, filling Rodriguez's spot. Already, the Sox have swingman Brian Johnson set to pitch Saturday, taking the spot vacated by Steven Wright, further testing their staff.

Pomeranz hasn't made a start at the major league level since May 31. He spent time on the DL with biceps tendinitis, then made a handful of rehab starts at Triple-A Pawtucket. The first three were discouraging, with Pomeranz unable to regain his fastball velocity or command his breaking ball.

But Wednesday night, Pomeranz fared far better, allowing just one run over six innings. His velocity barely topped 91 mph, though his command was better with his fastball, and, tellingly, his curveball was significantly improved. That outing -- coupled with a crisp bullpen session at Comerica Park Friday afternoon -- was enough to convince the Sox to re-insert him into the rotation.

It's easy to forget now, but Pomeranz was a very good starter for this team in the second half of last year. Following the All-Star break, he was 8-2 with a 3.01 ERA. That may be too lofty a goal for him to replicate this season, but if he can approximate that success, it would be a huge boost for the Sox.

"We know the talent,'' said Cora, "and we know what he did last year.''

The Sox aren't looking for domination from Pomeranz. Rather, going six or so innings and providing them with a chance to be competitive most times would be welcome enough.

"Now it's a matter of going out there -- nothing about mechanics -- and just executing pitches and giving us a chance to win,'' said Cora. "One thing I loved about the conversation we had was, he was like, 'I just have to execute pitches. Velocity will come. But with what I have, just execute and I'll be fine.' ''

There's not a lot to recommend about the starting pitching market. The few elite starters who might be available (Jacob deGrom) are way beyond the Red Sox reach, given the state of their system. That leaves a bunch of veterans having mixed success, like James Shields or Lance Lynn.

It would be a shame if the Sox had to allocate what little they had to obtain a mediocre back-end starter. If Pomeranz could be a bit better than that, he'll be of great value.

Rodriguez is likely to miss a month at least. Wright is, by Cora's admission, not close to returning. Should Pomeranz pitch fairly well Tuesday, the Sox will have to cover only one spot, which they can do through some combination of Johnson and fellow swingman Hector Velazquez. If they're down two spots, however, they may be forced into overpaying for a more experienced No. 5 option.

From a personal standpoint, Pomeranz has no shortage of motivation. He's a free agent this fall, and can make himself a lot of money with another strong second half -- to say nothing of the exposure and opportunity he may get to burnish his credentials on the October stage

After Pomeranz makes his return Tuesday night, there will be exactly a week before the deadline. If it's a good one, he'll make Dombrowski's job far easier leading up to July 31, and subsequently, the road toward a division title should be a little smoother.