The Red Sox bullpen leads all major league 'pens in Wins Above Replacement (4.5), per Baseball-Reference.com.

But the eye test from watching this team all year says Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski needs to complete a waiver trade for a reliever before the Aug. 31 deadline.

It won't be easy but it not impossible either. The Red Sox have the best record in baseball. So any reliever the Red Sox acquire would need to go unclaimed by all 29 other teams. The Astros landed Justin Verlander at last year's waiver deadline.

Unlike Dombrowski, Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti did land an impact reliever at the non-waiver deadline. He traded for All-Star closer Brad Hand who has allowed just two runs in 14.1 innings (1.26 ERA) with Cleveland.

The addition of Hand combined with Andrew Miller's return from the DL arguably makes Cleveland's bullpen the best in baseball heading into the postseason.

"We knew coming into the series that's their strength now compared to early in the season," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "It's tough to match up."

Dombrowski was adamant July 31 during his media availability following the non-waiver trade deadline that no available relievers were better than Tyler Thornburg and Ryan Brasier.

Dombrowski said the emergence of Braiser and Thornburg allowed him to stand pat. But Thornburg hasn't been too effective in August with a 1.57 WHIP (eight hits, including two homers, four walks, 7.2 innings). He gave up a solo homer to Yan Gomes in the eighth inning Tuesday as the Indians jumped ahead 6-3 after Boston had just scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Cleveland won 6-3 here at Fenway Park.

More telling, Cora had used Thornburg in only three high-leverage situations entering Tuesday. He has used him in 14 low-leverage situations and 10 medium-leverage situations.

If Thornburg is one of Dombrowski's two solutions, shouldn't he be pitching with leads in the seventh and eighth?

Matt Barnes -- Boston's most reliable reliever not named Craig Kimbrel -- has allowed four earned runs in 7 innings (5.14 ERA) during August. He also has allowed two homers this month after allowing just one in the first four months.

A seven-inning sample size shouldn't be alarming but Barnes has struggled during the second half each of the past two seasons. He posted a 6.08 ERA in 27 outings during the second half in 2016 after recording a 2.93 ERA in 35 outings during the first half.

He missed the playoff roster in 2017 after he had a 4.30 ERA during the second half, including a 5.59 ERA in September.

Joe Kelly has a 2.35 ERA (7.2 innings, 2 earned runs) in August after posting an 8.35 ERA in 23 outings combined between June and July. But the opposition still is batting .290 against him this month.

Kelly relieved starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi with runners at first and second and one out Tuesday. He struck out Francisco Lindor but he then allowed an RBI single to Michael Brantley.

Brandon Workman and Thornburg both then allowed runs. Suddenly, on yet another night, the story became whether Dombrowski needs to acquire a late-inning reliever -- and it should be the story.

Cora was asked this question postgame.

"No, I mean the last few games we haven't had the lead so we haven't been able to use Ryan or Barnesy in situations like that," Cora said. "The same way we were talking about using our guys a lot when we were ahead, well, I know it sucks to say it but in a three-game losing streak we're going to other guys. ... It looked like Joe was almost getting out of that jam right there. He did an outstanding job against Lindor and then he hung a breaking ball to Brantley.

"We feel our bullpen's good," Cora added. "We know we have capable guys that can get the job done. And we're comfortable with them."