The Rangers have called the Mariners to inquire about the availability of Cliff Lee, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Citing industry sources, Sullivan reports that the Mariners are one of many teams the Rangers have contacted in their search for starting pitching.
Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine confirms the team's interest in making a deal, while reiterating that nothing is imminent:
"We've had some preliminary discussions with clubs…. But to compel teams to move this far ahead of the [July 31st] trade deadline, it would take a very attractive package. We're still in the inventory stage and the information-gathering stage rather than the execution phase."
We heard earlier today that the Mariners have received a few calls from teams interested in Lee, but that the M's aren't ready yet to consider trading away their ace. According to Sullivan, the Rangers pursued the left-hander aggressively last summer as well, before the Indians traded him to Philadelphia.
Texas has also frequently been linked to the Roy Oswalt sweepstakes lately, though SI.com's Jon Heyman said earlier this week that acquiring the Astros' ace looks like an "extreme long shot." Still, it looks as though the Rangers hope to add a major piece to their starting rotation, if it's financially possible.
No way on earth the M’s trade to Lee to the Rangers…
Stranger things have happened.
No way on earth the Rangers give up the kind of prospects the M’s will ask for.
M’s would probably ask for Alexi Ogando, Holland & Perez just for 1/2 season of Lee…Way too much for the Rangers to give up.
Kenshin Kawakami is probably available!
The Rangers do kinda owe the Braves.
Anyone know what happened at the bankruptcy hearing?
Baseball needs to step in and maybe force the issue on this sale. Look at more than 1 offer without Hicks involved at all that i “think” he still is insisting on with the current proposal on the table.
Texas has a chance this year to win a division crown this year and finances seriously hobbling it all, especially with the bad start Anaheim had.
Maybe they could still afford to take a look at someone like Guthrie from the O’s both prospect and finance wise, but it would have been nice to be able to afford a top flight guy like Oswalt who may have waived that 2012 option to go to another Texas team.