Red Sox eyeing pitchers, including Marlins’ Johnson

With Jon Lester and Josh Beckett plagued by inconsistency for the entire season, general manager Ben Cherington continues to eye starting pitching above all else as he works the phones in the final week leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

One name Cherington can cross off his list is Anibal Sanchez, the former Boston farm-hand who was dealt to the Tigers Monday night.

According to ESPNBoston.com’s Joe McDonald, the Red Sox have also been in the hunt for another Florida starter — former righty ace Josh Johnson.

However, Johnson is having a season eerily similar to that of Beckett and Lester, going 5-7 with a 4.35 ERA.

Matt Garza is another pitcher Boston has looked long and hard at, though interest might have diminished a bit when the righty left his last start with tricep soreness and is expected to miss his next turn in the rotation.

Ian Browne