I remain skeptical that the Phillies will actually trade Cliff Lee, but it could happen. If it does, it’s gonna take a lot. One report from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is that it will take top infield prospect Xander Bogaerts:
From every indication Phillies won’t settle for anything less than Bogaerts at the head of any package for Lee
— Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) July 30, 2013
Rosenthal and Heyman both have columns up about Lee. Heyman mentions that the Red Sox are interested. Rosenthal makes the argument that the Sox should trade Bogaerts if it meant getting Lee.
Bogaerts is hitting .298./396/.495 across Double-A and Triple-A this season. And he’s only 20. It would be a big, big price to pay, but Cliff Lee is by far the biggest starting pitcher who could even conceivably be traded.