BOSTON Red Sox left hander Jon Lester will not make his scheduled start Wednesday but he has not been traded yet.
No deal yet a major league source with direct knowledge of Lester trade talks said Tuesday night. He could still pitch Friday for the Red Sox against the Yankees.
Brandon Workman will be recalled from Triple A to start in Lester's place Wednesday manager John Farrell announced after Tuesday night's 4 2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
I think in light of all the uncertainty surrounding Jon Lester it's probably in everyone's best interest that he not make that start so Brandon will be recalled Farrell said.
The manager added Wednesday afternoon that he expected Lester at the game and that the team had not yet made a move to add Workman to the roster. A move is necessary before the 7 10 p.m. start time.
Lester left the clubhouse immediately after Tuesday's game before it was opened to the media. Another source close to Lester said no one from the Red Sox had said a word to either the pitcher or his agent Seth Levinson regarding a trade Tuesday night.
Lester took to Twitter on Wednesday
Thank you all for the kind words Tough situation to be in but it's what we sign up for and I find comfort knowing we're in this together
Jon Lester ( JLester31) July 30 2014Farrell had taken the highly unusual step of announcing before Tuesday's game that in the event Lester was traded Workman would draw the start. Customarily teams do not announce contingencies in the event of a trade announcing roster moves only after a deal is consummated. That only fueled speculation that a deal was close.
The Pittsburgh Pirates emerged Tuesday as a potential trading partner for Lester with a source confirming that the Sox have had talks with the Pirates regarding the left hander.
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Edes Interactive Red Sox trading blockDon't count out the Pirates '' said one source with knowledge of those talks.
The same source added Lots of teams are still in it.
There are six teams still in the running the source said listing them in no particular order the Pirates Blue Jays Oakland Athletics St. Louis Cardinals Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox are seeking two top prospects in return and are particularly interested in outfielders.
They're using what the Cubs got back from Oakland for Jeff Samardzija as their model an industry source said Tuesday. They got Oakland's top prospect Addison Russell and another No. 1 pick.
The difference of course is that while Lester is regarded as a better pitcher with a longer track record he is a two month rental while Samardzija is a full year away from free agency. Still Lester could be a difference maker for any contender.
If the Red Sox are looking for outfield prospects in return the Pirates would seem to match up well led by 21 year old Josh Bell a switch hitting slugger just promoted to Double A after tearing up Class A Bradenton with a .335 average and 2013 first round draft pick Austin Meadows a 19 year old left handed hitter judged to have the system's best strike zone discipline by Baseball America.
The market for starting pitching has shifted dramatically because of Boston's inability to re sign Lester to an extension and the unexpected fall from contention by the defending World Series winners who are in last place in the American League East with a 48 59 record 11 games under .500 with 55 to go.
The Red Sox losers of seven of their past eight games are a season high 12 games behind the Orioles in the division.
The other factor making a huge impact on the market is the remarkable recovery of the Tampa Bay Rays who on June 10 were 24 42 18 games under .500 and fully expected to trade ace left hander David Price. Since then the Rays have gone 29 12 a .707 winning percentage that is the best in baseball since that date and drew to within a game of .500 with their 5 1 win Tuesday night over the Milwaukee Brewers.
One of Boston's FinestIf Jon Lester is traded before Thursday's deadline the Red Sox will be losing one of the best pitchers in club history. Here's a look at where Lester ranks all time in Boston
There are teams that still believe the Rays will trade Price but the club's performance has made that a much less certain proposition for general manager Andrew Friedman.
The Red Sox typically have not traded within the division but might make an exception in Lester's case especially since the left hander said his No. 1 preference as a free agent would be to re sign with the Red Sox. His stance certainly could change once he plays for another team but it is one reason the Sox would risk trading him within the division.
The Lester deal is only one of several the Red Sox are working on. The interest in left handed reliever Andrew Miller is crazy one club source said with numerous teams still in the running. Atlanta has been prominently mentioned as a club with keen interest in Miller but quality relievers always command considerable attention at the deadline.
While numerous observers were dismissive about an ESPN Boston report about the Sox's interest in Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp and the possibility that he could be part of a Lester deal the Sox have been scouting Kemp for at least the past month according to an industry source. The $107 million remaining on Kemp's contract would make a deal difficult to execute and with the Dodgers playing well GM Ned Colletti might have little interest in breaking up his outfield combination although a healthy Kemp could well pop up on the Sox's radar again in the offseason.
The Kansas City Royals a source said have inquired about John Lackey and the Royals also retain interest in right handed hitting outfielder Jonny Gomes. Lackey is scheduled to start Friday against the Yankees and because of a unique contract that calls for him to be paid the major league minimum next season a number of teams have checked on his availability.
Sinkerballing right hander Burke Badenhop also could have appeal for a contender seeking relief help and the Sox are known to be open to deals for Felix Doubront Mike Carp Craig Breslow and Edward Mujica.
We have been working on all possibilities '' a club source said.
Recommend0 Tweet0 Email Subscribe Print Comments0Gordon EdesRed Sox reporter ESPNBoston.comFollowArchiveHas covered Red Sox for 15 years Award winning beat reporterJoined ESPNBoston.com in 2009
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