Things have been quiet on the Red Sox front as far as their role in the Johan Santana trade talks with the Twins go. However, it seems as though the Yankees may have upped the ante in their pursuit of the Venezuelan.
After two days of internal discussions among front-office executives, the Yankees swallowed hard Friday and decided to offer Phil Hughes to the Twins as part of the trade package they hope will land them Johan Santana.
“We’re going for it,” was the way one club source put it.
Based on their talks with Twins GM Bill Smith, the Yankees knew they couldn’t make a deal for Santana without including Hughes, their 21-year-old righthander widely regarded as a potential staff ace.
In any case, the club finally agreed to put Hughes in a package that includes center fielder Melky Cabrera and at least one other lesser pitching prospect still to be negotiated, as of Friday night. And by doing so they believe they are the front-runners to land Santana, the two-time Cy Young winner.
If this report is true, the Yankees are definitely the front-runners for him and would essentially force the Red Sox to include Clay Buchholz or Jacoby Ellsbury in the deal. Then again, the Twins could still like the Red Sox package better.
My best guess is that Santana is moved by the end of the Winter Meetings next week if not sooner.
