Report: Ruben Amaro Not Optimistic About Jayson Werth’s Return to Phillies

The market for free-agent slugger Jayson Werth is heating up and it's becoming less and less likely that the Phillies will be able to re-sign the right fielder.

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover says it's becoming increasingly unlikely that Werth will return to the Phillies, and he also reports that Phillies GM Ruben Amaro spoke about Werth in the past tense on Thursday at the GM meetings in Orlando.

The Red Sox probably have a lot to do with Amaro's pessimism toward retaining the slugger. Boston has contacted Werth's agent Scott Boras early and often this offseason, and likely plan to make a big push for the 31-year-old.