If the Red Sox are going to make a big splash before the July 31 trading deadline, it's unlikely that they will be acquiring Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth.
According to ESPN.com, the Red Sox have inquired about a potential deal for the 31-year-old outfielder, but a source with direct knowledge of the talks says a deal will not happen.
That same source claims that the Red Sox are "chasing a ghost" in their attempts to acquire Werth.
After completing a sweep of the Rockies on Monday and extending their winning streak to five games, it makes sense that the Phillies will try to hold on to Werth as they make a playoff push. Werth entered the day hitting .286 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs.
Another reason the Phillies likely won't deal Werth to Boston is that they are still holding out that Werth could be a potential piece in a deal to acquire a starting pitcher like the Astros' Roy Oswalt.