According to a report out of Seattle, however, the Sox were ready to say goodbye to just about all of them.
The Seattle Times reports that, according to sources, the Red Sox offered a list of eight players, from which the Mariners could choose any five in exchange for Felix Hernandez. The list reportedly included:
Clay Buchholz
Daniel Bard
Michael Bowden
Justin Masterson
Nick Hagadone
Josh Reddick
Yamaico Navarro
Felix Doubront
The Mariners, however, didn't feel that deal was adequate enough to trade their 23-year-old star. Then the Sox tried to negotiate a three-way deal with the Mariners and Padres that would have sent Adrian Gonzalez to Seattle, Brandon Morrow to San Diego and Hernandez to Boston, with prospects flying every which way. The Mariners also turned down that deal, according to the report.
The Red Sox then quickly moved on, sending Masterson and Hagadone to Cleveland to make the Martinez trade, while both Hernandez and Gonzalez remained with their respective teams.
Hernandez is 12-4 with a 2.78 ERA. In his career, which began when he was just 19 years old, he is 51-40 with a 3.61 ERA, 734 strikeouts and a 1.29 WHIP in 126 games.
