BOSTON — The improved performance by the Royals’ rotation over the 25 games prior to Saturday night is much-welcomed development — a 3.66 ERA and 19 quality starts — but club officials remain committed to an offseason upgrade.

“It’s like a broken record,” general manager Dayton Moore said, “but it’s the truth. We’re going to expect and work to put together a rotation that is going give us 1,000 innings. That’s what we want to be able to accomplish.

“Our pitching staff has (recently) performed very well, but we’re going to keep searching and keep looking and see how it unfolds.”

Moore said that search will start “internally” and include an effort to retain veteran right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, who is a pending free agent.

“We’re still learning about him,” Moore said. “His stuff hasn’t declined at all based on our reports – our statistical data and our scouting. For whatever reason, he wasn’t having the success earlier this year that he was having in Baltimore.

“But he’s a very similar pitcher to what he was the last couple of years in Baltimore. He’s definitely a guy we’re going to have interest in. For sure.”

Moore said the search to build an improved rotation will sift through the club’s other current starters, some members of the bullpen and possibilities from the minor-league system.

But he also embraces a willingness to acquire arms through trades and free agency. While the goal is to find an impact, top-of-the-rotation starter — and that’s what Moore wants, of course — he also takes a more realistic view.

“I keep hearing we’ve got to get a one or a two,” he said. “Well, that’s great, but there aren’t many out there. I want pitchers who are going to give us innings and have the mind-set of a No. 1.

“That means they’re going to compete, they’re going to prepare. It means they’re going to be creative and intellectual in ways to get hitters out. We have some guys who have that mind-set. We’ve got to get in a position where they give us some more innings.

“Hopefully, they can.”

Trading for a reliable starter, the Royals realize, will likely come at a high cost.

“We’re going to have to trade guys to teams that are willing to give up pitching,” Moore said. “Do we give up substantial pieces off our major-league club and in our farm system for guys we might only have for a year or two?”

It depends on the alternatives.

Abreu steps in

Utility infielder Tony Abreu started for the first time in eight days and just the second time since Aug. 8 when he replaced Johnny Giavotella at second base. Abreu could draw another start today at third base in place of Mike Moustakas.

“I’m still looking at that,” manager Ned Yost said. “He’s a utility player. He plays them all pretty much the same. I think his natural position is shortstop, but he plays third fine and he’s OK at second.”

The Royals want to determine whether Abreu, 27, can be a good fit going forward as the club’s utility player. He was batting .322 in 103 games at Class AAA Omaha when the Royals selected his contract on Aug. 6.

“He’s a switch-hitter who can swing the bat a little bit,” Yost said. “He’s a good little player. I like him. We’ve got two really good options with him and (Irving) Falu for utility guys. You don’t feel like you’re missing out when you put them in the game.”

Falu batted .321 earlier this season in 15 big-league games. He is currently batting .317 in 79 games at Omaha

Wild day for Boston

The Red Sox officially completed their nine-player deal with the Dodgers prior to the game. The news leaked prior to Friday’s series opener when both teams pulled players from their lineups.

Boston unloaded roughly $260 million in future salary by sending pitcher Josh Beckett, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, outfielder Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to Los Angeles.

The Red Sox received first baseman James Loney, two minor-league players (infielder Ivan De Jesus and pitcher Allen Webster) and two players to be named later. Those two players are believed to be pitcher Rubby De La Rosa and infielder Jerry Sands.

Boston designated hitter David Ortiz could be headed back to the disabled list despite going two for four on Friday in his first game action since July 16. He has been battling a strained right Achilles’ tendon.

Collins’ K count

Lefty reliever Tim Collins entered Saturday with 83 strikeouts — 14 more than any other American League reliever. Seattle’s Tom Wilhelmsen had 69.

Collins recorded two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning in Friday’s 4-3 loss to Boston after replacing Kelvin Herrera with one out in the seventh inning. The club record for strikeouts by a reliever is 103 by Jim York in 1971.

Minor details

Class AAA Omaha right-hander Jake Odorizzi, perhaps the organization’s top pitching prospect, had his worst performance in weeks Friday night in a 6-0 loss to New Orleans.

Odorizzi, 22, gave up five runs and seven hits in six innings. He also surrendered two homers. On the plus side, he was efficient — just 74 pitches in six innings — and struck out five while walking none.

The loss dropped Odorizzi to 10-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 18 games at Omaha since his promotion from Class AA Northwest Arkansas. Overall, he is 14-5 and 3.14 in 28 games.

Looking back

It was 21 years ago Sunday — Aug. 26, 1991 — that Bret Saberhagen pitched the last no-hitter in Royals’ history. He walked two and struck out five in a 7-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox at then-Royals Stadium.

Saberhagen’s gem was the fourth in club history. Steve Busby threw no-hitters in 1973 at Detroit and in 1974 at Milwaukee. Jim Colborn pitched a no-hitter in 1977 against Texas at Royals Stadium.