INDIANAPOLIS — The Yankees’ effort to acquire center fielder Curtis Granderson from Detroit intensified yesterday when Arizona joined the process.
Two club sources said the Yankees spent the first day of the Winter Meetings talking to the Tigers and Diamondbacks about the possible blockbuster deal.
According to a Foxsports.com report later confirmed by The Post, the teams discussed a three-way trade that would bring Granderson to The Bronx, send pitcher Edwin Jackson from Detroit and Ian Kennedy from the Yankees to Arizona, and the Tigers would receive right-hander Max Scherzer from Arizona as well outfield prospect Austin Jackson, and left-handed relievers Mike Dunn and Phil Coke from the Yankees.
“They are on Granderson, not [Edwin] Jackson,” said a source familiar with the Yankees’ plan.
HARDBALL AT THE WINTER MEETINGS
According to another source, the deal wasn’t close to being completed late last night because the Tigers or Yankees weren’t comfortable with the parameters. The Diamondbacks like the trade as is.
Earlier in the day, a high-ranking Tigers official said the club wasn’t moving Granderson, but would listen on Jackson. So it could be the Tigers stalling the three-way action.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman didn’t respond to several questions last night.
If Granderson, who batted .249 with 30 homers and 71 RBIs last year, comes to the Yankees, he upgrades the middle of their outfield. It also might lead the Yankees to walk away from Johnny Damon and play Melky Cabrera in left.
“It would be nice if it all happened quickly, but when that happens you are making some bad choices,” Cashman said when asked about making moves before news of the three-way deal broke.
While the Yankees didn’t alter their roster outside of dealing reliever Brian Bruney to Washington for the first pick in the Rule 5 draft, Cashman was active on other fronts. The general manager:
l Admitted to having an early-morning conversation with agent Seth Levinson about pitcher Jason Marquis aboard a private jet.
l Reiterated Andy Pettitte is the top priority.
l Said left field falls in behind strengthening the rotation.
l Hinted there could be enough money for Hideki Matsui and Damon providing it isn’t spent elsewhere.
l Didn’t admit Chien-Ming Wang won’t be tendered a contract (he won’t).
l Said a backup catcher isn’t a priority.
Cashman refused to discuss where his talks with Toronto about Halladay are. He also didn’t respond when asked if he met with the Blue Jays yesterday.
As for Marquis, the Staten Island native who was 15-13 with a 4.04 ERA in 33 games for the Rockies last year, Cashman said, “Obviously, starting pitching, nobody has enough of that. Obviously, he is a very successful pitcher and pitched in tough markets. He is a New Yorker and he is tough.”
With Bruney bypassed by David Robertson and Alfredo Aceves, the Yankees might be looking to fill the bullpen void with right-hander Mike MacDougal who might not be tendered a contract Dec. 12. He converted 20 of 21 save chances for the Nationals in 52 games after being cut by the White Sox in late April.
george.king@nypost.com