Fearful of the Twins delivering Johan Santana to the Red Sox, the Yankees decided last night to begrudgingly include Phil Hughes in a possible package with Melky Cabrera, and hoped it was enough to bring baseball’s best pitcher to The Bronx.
The Twins yesterday informed the Yankees they were prepared to deal Santana to the Red Sox unless the 21-year-old Hughes was part of the deal. Fearing Santana would join Josh Beckett to give their World Series champion blood rivals two aces, the Yankees decided to put Hughes on the table.
After hearing from the Yankees, the Twins asked the Red Sox for pitching prospect Clay Buchholz, but the Red Sox refused to part with Buchholz and center fielder Jacob Ellsbury.
Because several executives believed the Twins were waiting to hear Hughes was part of the package, the Yankees’ inclusion of Hughes makes them the favorite to land Santana, who will be 29 in March.
Ideally, the Yankees would like to keep the package to Hughes and Cabrera, but they may have to add a third name to the deal. Sources say it won’t be pitcher Ian Kennedy.
There was a split in the Yankees’ hierarchy in regard to including Hughes, who was 5-3 with a 4.46 ERA in 13 games this past year, when he missed three months due to hamstring and ankle problems. However, the Red Sox’ interest – whether real or put in play to hike the price on the Yankees – played a part.
“The only way to keep [Santana] from the Red Sox is to get him,” a Yankees official said last night. “You can’t hope some other team does it for you.”
Despite hints yesterday that the White Sox and Rangers were interested in Santana and that the Mets still held out hope, it remains a competition between the Red Sox and Yankees.
In addition to costing the Yankees Hughes and Cabrera, their starting center fielder, Santana will likely command a six-year deal worth close to $150 million in order to approve the deal, because he has a complete no-trade clause. He is due to make $13.5 million this coming season.
The inclusion of Hughes doesn’t cement the deal. The Twins can hold on to the two-time Cy Young winner and see where they are at by the July 31 trade deadline. However, having lost free-agent center fielder Torii Hunter to the Angels with nothing in return, the Twins are anxious to get the best deal available for Santana.
As for Hughes, his representative said the pitcher isn’t overwhelmed by hearing his name in trade talks.
“He is doing fine,” agent Nez Balelo said. “He takes it in stride. He has heard his name before and knows it’s out of his hands.”
In other Yankee news:
l Alex Rodriguez was at Columbia Presbyterian hospital in Manhattan yesterday morning for a physical. When the results come back, his 10-year, $275-million contract will be announced.
l A team source contradicted reports that the club was close to signing infielder Mark Loretta. Right-handed reliever David Riske won’t be a Yankee, and the agent for Luis Vizcaino said he is taking calls from other clubs and that the Mets have shown interest. And the price on lefty relievers Trever Miller, Jeremy Affeldt and Ron Mahay remains high.
“We are going in a different direction,” said Balelo, who represents Riske. “We are getting close with another team (Milwaukee).”
Bean Stringfellow, Vizcaino’s agent, said there was nothing close with the Yankees. Vizcaino made $3 million last year when he appeared in a career-high 77 games (fourth in the AL).
l The Yankees will offer Vizcaino salary arbitration by tonight’s deadline. He has until Dec. 7 to accept. If he does, he will be a signed player.
l The Yankees are likely to offer Andy Pettitte arbitration. Should Pettitte decide to play, it will be for the $16 million player option he had before declaring for free agency.
l Since they aren’t signed, Mariano Rivera and Rodriguez must be offered arbitration as a formality.
l The Yankees aren’t likely to offer Doug Mientkiewicz arbitration but that doesn’t mean they don’t want him back.