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Cliff Lee Traded to Phillies, Red Sox Running Out of Options

ESPN.com reports that the Cleveland Indians have traded Cy Young winner and staff ace Cliff Lee to the Philadelphia Phillies. This comes just two days after the New York Post said that the Sox were in negotiations to acquire Cliff Lee and catcher Victor Martinez from Cleveland.

What Do The Sox Do Now?

Roy Halladay

This puts Toronto’s Roy Halladay back into the spotlight. With Friday’s trade deadline approaching fast, Halladay has yet to be moved. The Sox would need to cough up quite a bit. The Blue Jays would want a combination of players like: Clay Buckholz, Michael Bowden, Lars Anderson, Junichi Tazawa, etc. I think the asking price is too high and Halladay won’t be in a Sox uniform.

Jarrod Washburn

Also making a minor splash in trade rumors is Seattle’s Jarrod Washburn. Washburn is enjoying one of the best season’s of his career with an 8-6 record and 2.64 ERA. Washburn is in the last year of his contract and would become a free agent at the end of the season. Washburn is a soft-tossing lefty who turns 35 this August. If the Sox traded for Washburn, it would just be a rental for August and September as I don’t see the point of signing a long-term deal with a pitcher who is past his prime.

Tags: Cliff Lee, Jarrod Washburn, Philadelphia Phillies, Red Sox, Roy Halladay