Thread for discussion of non-Nat trade rumors.
Youkilis might be one of the big names to move quickly because the Red Sox need to straighten out outfield and corner infield playing time among Middlebrooks, Gonzalez, Ross, Kalish, Nava, and the DL OFs when they return (Pods, Ells, Crawford, Sweeney). DH is not an option. Looks like they will eat a good chunk of the remaining $7MM committed to him (1/2 this year plus the buyout). If healthy, his option for next year is attractive.
These are the teams in play for Youkilis at the moment:
■Dodgers: They need a productive corner infielder, and Youkilis has always been a favorite of manager Don Mattingly, who admires his plate discipline. The Dodgers have been scouting Youkilis at Fenway this week. A reported deal for James Loney would not be Boston’s cup of tea.
■Indians: Like many teams, they could use a righthanded bat at a corner, and are very much involved in talks with the Red Sox.
■Pirates: They need to bolster their offense, because they feel their pitching is good enough to win the NL Central. Getting Youkilis would add a very disciplined hitter to that lineup.
■Diamondbacks: They have had interest in Youkilis for some time, but they declined when the Red Sox asked for outfielder Gerardo Parra. The talks do not appear to be dead, according to a major league source.
■White Sox: They could use a third baseman, but with John Danks going down with an injury, they are more likely to pursue pitching help.
■Phillies. The Philadelphia people deny they are looking at Youkilis, but they had two scouts at Fenway. The Phillies are still awaiting the return of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.