White Sox Acquire Edwin Jackson
12:01pm: The D'Backs announced they've traded Jackson to the White Sox for Hudson and pitching prospect David Holmberg.
11:54am: Jackson has been told he's been traded to the White Sox, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.
9:46am: Sox GM Kenny Williams has something big cooking, tweets Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, and if he gets it done the Jackson deal is off. Meanwhile USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweets that the Sox would pay all of Jackson's salary if the deal gets done.
AOL FanHouse's Steve Phillips says the White Sox would try to flip Jackson to the Nationals in a Dunn trade but would be happy to keep him. MLB Network's Peter Gammons adds that the Nationals are "not that hot" for Jackson, though SI's Jon Heyman tweets that they love him. Rosenthal tweets that the deal is in the Nationals' hands, but Hudson would end up with the D'Backs either way. There's almost no chance Hudson makes his scheduled start tonight, tweets Cowley.
1:51am: If the two sides were to agree on a deal, the second prospect heading to the D'Backs would also be a pitcher, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
1:14am: The White Sox are on the verge of acquiring Jackson, report Rosenthal and Morosi. Chicago would send Hudson and another prospect to the D'Backs in the proposed deal.
12:26am: The White Sox are looking into acquiring Edwin Jackson from the Diamondbacks, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Although the Sox have been linked peripherally to Jackson for much of the week, reports to date have indicated that Chicago's only interest in the right-hander would be as a chip to facilitate a three-way Adam Dunn trade. Rosenthal suggests, however, that the Sox may be interested in acquiring and keeping Jackson, rather than flipping him.
While Chicago covets Dunn, they are becoming less convinced they'll be able to work out a deal with the Nationals before Saturday's deadline. As such, they've been focusing more on bolstering their starting rotation. Rosenthal writes that the Sox are exploring other pitchers in addition to Jackson, as they look to replace the injured Jake Peavy.
Peavy's current replacement in the rotation, Daniel Hudson, could be a key piece in a potential trade for Jackson, according to Rosenthal.
Rosenthal On Dunn, Carmona, White Sox
Tweets from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, with the latest up top…
- The Yankees are out on Adam Dunn for now. Joel Sherman of the New York Post cites several reasons the Yanks cooled on him.
- Rosenthal's source puts the Indians' chances of trading Fausto Carmona at one in a million. Though the Indians are listening, they don't expect to receive a suitable offer. Carmona, whose ERA jumped from 3.51 to 3.92 after yesterday's disaster, can be controlled through 2014 given his rare three-option contract.
- Despite Jorge Posada's sore knee, the Yankees are unlikely to pursue a catcher.
- The White Sox are exploring hitters other than Dunn, and not all left-handed bats. With an open DH spot, the Sox have flexibility to take almost any bat. Rosenthal says they also seek a mid-rotation starter.
Quiet Deadline Possible?
One "very-plugged-in GM" told the New York Post's Joel Sherman yesterday that this could be a very quiet trade deadline, with big names like Jayson Werth, Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, Adam Dunn, and Roy Oswalt possibly staying put. Oswalt, of course, appears headed to Philadelphia if he'll approve the trade. Sherman notes that prospects are being overvalued, money is tight, certain teams are reassessing their playoff chances, and many players will still be available in August.
Despite such talk the days leading up to the trade deadline are always exciting in terms of rumored discussions. We hope you'll keep reading MLBTR religiously – we've extended our coverage until 3am central time the next two nights, all leading up to the first Saturday deadline day in the site's history. Back to Sherman's article…
- Dunn is viewed as the most likely to be moved from the aforementioned group. The White Sox and Giants are pushing harder than the Yankees.
- The Rays, Twins, and Phillies are the most motivated buyers. The Cubs, Diamondbacks, and Blue Jays are the most motivated sellers.
- The Red Sox appear likely to make only a minor move. WEEI's Alex Speier says the Sox are focused on relief help, perhaps hoping to buy low on someone with good stuff. They're also monitoring the catcher and outfield markets.
Adam Dunn Rumors: Wednesday
The Angels, Tigers, Rangers, Giants, Rays and Rockies were all connected to Adam Dunn in yesterday's round of rumors, but the White Sox may be the best fit of all. Dunn's left-handed bat would fit well into Ozzie Guillen's lineup, but the Nats are asking for Daniel Hudson plus a prospect. Washington could still extend Dunn, who says he'd consider three or four-year deals. Here's the latest on the slugger; we'll add more bullets throughout the evening.
- The Yankees are interested in Dunn, but the Yanks and Nationals haven't had serious talks yet, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (via Twitter).
- Dunn is a "bit of a longshot" for the Rockies, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link).
- Lots of baseball people expect the Nationals to trade Dunn, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). The White Sox and Giants appear to be stronger players for Dunn than the Yankees, according to Sherman (Twitter link).
- The Rays remain "in the mix" for Dunn, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link).
Stark On Phillies, Indians, Ross, Athletics
Today's rumblings from ESPN's Jayson Stark…
- Shane Victorino's oblique injury yesterday appears to close the door on a Jayson Werth trade. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki seems to agree, but unlike Stark he feels that the Phils "remain a top contender" for Roy Oswalt. More on Oswalt here.
- Stark writes of indications the Phillies have turned to starters such as Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona and relief options like Octavio Dotel. Jon Heyman of SI.com notes that the Indians are talking trades with the Phils (Twitter link).
- Speaking of the Indians, Stark senses they do want to move money off the books.
- The Marlins have told teams they could deal Cody Ross in August if they fall out of contention, but they'd have to match up only with the team that wins the claim.
- The Braves maintain strong interest in Josh Willingham, though there's a good chance they stand pat. Willingham is just one of many Nationals veterans generating interest, GM Mike Rizzo told ESPN 980.
- Athletics assistant GM David Forst told Stark "it would have to be an over-the-top deal for us to even consider it" in regard to trading relievers such as Michael Wuertz, Craig Breslow, and Brad Ziegler.
Multiple Teams Interested In Edwin Jackson
Multiple teams are interested in Edwin Jackson, including the Nationals, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Nationals are trying to obtain pitching for Adam Dunn and flip that pitching to the Diamondbacks for Jackson.
The D’Backs seek a durable starter in any deal for Jackson and they should have suitors to choose from this week. Rosenthal reports that two to three clubs other than the Nationals are pursuing Jackson. Jack Magruder of FOX Sports Arizona reported on Twitter that the D'Backs would have to be "overwhelmed" to deal Jackson, but they would certainly consider it.
"If we could get a player back that could help at the major league level immediately, as well as help restock the farm system, we would listen," CEO Derrick Hall recently told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.
Jackson has a 5.01 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 this season, plus a no-hitter. The 26-year-old has about $1.5MM remaining on his contract this year and will earn $8.35MM in 2011.
Giants Not Making Progress With Brewers
The Giants are still actively looking for an impact bat, but discussions about Brewers sluggers Corey Hart and Prince Fielder are "dead in the water," according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. That's not a surprise, since Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported on Twitter that the Brewers plan to hold off on trades until tomorrow at the earliest. Hart has an injured right wrist, so the Brewers aren't likely to deal him until he proves his ability to hit.
Injuries to Hart and David DeJesus have not derailed the Giants' search for a bat. They have been connected to Jose Guillen, Josh Willingham, Scott Podsednik and Adam Dunn in the last 24 hours. The asking price for Dunn? Madison Bumgarner, says Schulman.
GM Brian Sabean is also interested in adding relief help, though the market is tough at this point. Schulman says the Giants are "investigating" Seattle's Brandon League.
Adam Dunn Rumors: Tuesday
New teams inquired about Nationals slugger Adam Dunn within the past day, tweets Ed Price of AOL FanHouse. FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi tweets that the Nats are more likely to trade Dunn than Josh Willingham, while ESPN's Jayson Stark hears that Washington might trade one but not both.
Check back throughout the day for updates, as the Nationals discuss possible deals with other teams and consider keeping their first baseman in Washington long-term:
- Dunn wants a four-year deal, but would consider a three-year offer if the Nationals make him one, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Dunn explained to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that he does his best to ignore trade rumors and understands the business side of the game.
- The Nationals want Daniel Hudson plus one of Jordan Danks, Tyler Flowers or Brent Morel for Dunn, a source told Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago. The Nationals offered Dunn for Gordon Beckham, but the White Sox turned the proposal down.
- Another source told Levine that six teams are bidding for Dunn: The White Sox, Angels, Tigers, Rangers and two NL clubs. As you can see below, the Rockies and Giants have been linked to Dunn, but it’s not certain that those two teams are pursuing him now.
- The Rays like Dunn, but don't want to push him into a DH role, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. As much as the Rays likes Dunn's bat, they don't want to risk conflict with the slugger. Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reports that the Nationals asked the Rays for Matt Garza last week. Despite those demands, the Rays will keep an eye on Dunn and Jayson Werth this week, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link).
- The Giants also expressed interest in Dunn, according to Knobler.
- Sherman says the Rockies talked about Dunn, but don't like his poor defense.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Nationals have yet to offer Dunn an extension in any form, so the trade market is likely to heat up. Rosenthal and colleague Jon Paul Morosi name the White Sox as the most serious suitor, and add that the Tigers, Rangers, and Yankees maintain interest.
Giants Discussing Guillen, Interested In Willingham
The San Francisco offense is heating up, but the Giants are still looking for outfield bats. The Royals are discussing Jose Guillen with San Francisco, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The potential deal would send the 34-year-old to San Francisco along with cash to cover some of the $4.5MM or so remaining on Guillen’s contract.
But Jayson Stark of ESPN.com hears (via Twitter) from a rival official who believes the Royals have “no real options” to move Guillen, even if they ask for a modest return and take on salary. Stark’s source says (via Twitter) there’s very little action on some of Guillen’s teammates: Brian Bannister, Kyle Davies and Kyle Farnsworth.
Another one of Guillen’s teammates, Scott Podsednik, is drawing strong interest from NL West teams, including the Giants. For what it’s worth, the Giants have been scouting Guillen aggressively, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (via Twitter). For the season, Guillen has 16 homers and a .271/.333/.457 line.
The Giants are pursuing outfielders other than Guillen and Podsednik, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Like the Braves, Rays and Red Sox, the Giants have interest in Josh Willingham.
Rangers, Phillies Have Some Interest In Guzman
The Rangers and Phillies have some interest in Nationals infielder Cristian Guzman, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Guzman is able to play multiple positions, and he's hitting .287/.331/.366 on the season.
The problem with Guzman is that he has a cool $3MM left on his contract. And regarding the Phillies, ESPN's Jayson Stark says Miguel Tejada is their primary infield target. Tejada has $2.25MM in base salary remaining, with another $250K in bonuses coming if he's traded and reaches 630 plate appearances.