AOL Fanhouse reports the Phillies are ready to part with top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek in a trade for Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay.
Ed Price writes that the Phillies would deal Drabek, Michael Taylor (OF), Jason Donald (3B) and Lou Marson (C) to Toronto in exchange for Halladay.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the asking price is Drabek, Brown and major-leaguer J.A. Happ, with “negotiations under way in earnest.” An earlier report said the Phillies could announce a deal before the end of Saturday.
Halladay started in Toronto against the Rays on Friday night.
The Phillies have been considered the front-runner to land the 32-year-old right-hander since the Blue Jays announced early this month they would be listening to offers.
Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi confirmed to the Philadelphia Inquirer that he has spoken with the Phillies.
“We haven’t talked in specifics,” he said. “But they have an idea what we’re looking for.”
The paper reports, “Ricciardi would not name the Phillies players he wants, but several people with knowledge of the talks between the two teams said the Jays would require pitchers Drabek and (J.A.) Happ in the deal. And that’s just a start.
“There are indications that the Jays also like minor-league outfielder Dominic Brown, who is considered the Phils’ top position-player prospect by baseball people inside and outside the Phillies’ organization.”
The Toronto Sun reported the Rays could be looking to trade Scott Kazmir in order to make room for Halladay.
“I think that some of the teams that are interested are trying to maybe move some pieces that they have to acquire the players, they have to go through their exercises,” Ricciardi said. “But that’s not our problem.”
The St. Petersburg Times confirmed the Rays have interest in Halladay and Cleveland’s Cliff Lee.
“We are always very active in conversations this time of year and this year is no exception,” executive Andrew Friedman said. “As we have said, we have supreme confidence in the 25 guys we have but we’ll continue to have conversations in the event something lines up.”
The Sun reports Halladay has supplied the Blue Jays “with a list of teams to which he would be willing to be traded.” However, the paper does not reveal those teams.
FOXSports.com reports “Halladay has told several Tampa Bay players that he would waive his no-trade clause to play for the Rays, according to major-league sources.”
Ricciardi says he’s gotten “a few more” calls asking about Halladay. He said some progress needs to be made before the team’s self-imposed July 28 deadline for a deal (the MLB non-waiver trade deadline is July 31).
“If we’re down the road with something, obviously the deadline can fluctuate,” Ricciardi said. “But if we’re not down the road by the 28th, nothing’s going to happen.”
The Los Angeles Times reports “Angels owner Arte Moreno said the club remains interested in acquiring an ace starter,” either Halladay or Lee.
“We’re keeping all our options open,” Moreno told the paper. “If we can see a fair deal for someone we believe can help our team, we’re going to compete there. We don’t have any financial constraints.”
But Bill Shaikin writes, “However, a trade for a veteran reliever appears more likely.”
