Elsewhere in the AL East, as the Yankees surge past the Red Sox in the standings, another contender could be bulking up for the playoff push. According to FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi, the Tampa Bay Rays are major players in the hunt for pitcher Cliff Lee.
Right-handed pitcher Wade Davis, who is 8-6 with a 3.22 in 20 Triple-A starts this season, would reportedly be the chief trading chip in the deal.
Lee is obviously not Roy Halladay, but the 2008 Cy Young Award winner could be Tampa's ace in the hole for the stretch run. This season, Lee owns a disappointing 6-9 record but a respectable 3.17 ERA. Last season, he won 22 games — the most in the majors — while maintaining a 2.54 ERA and striking out 170 batters. So while he hasn't been nearly as effective in 2009, a move to Tampa could be just what Lee needs.
Morosi indicates that while the teams have talked, no deal is imminent.
The Rays have also joined the Halladay discussion, though salary could be a deterrent for Tampa to make that move.
