Sports

Manny Ramirez's name has cropped up in connection with at least three teams as the trading deadline approached Saturday.

MLB television and MLB.com reported the White Sox were among the teams trying to acquire the former Red Sox left fielder and current Dodger.

Fox Sports was first to report that the White Sox were interested in Ramirez, but the report also indicated that the White Sox' offer was rejected. Other teams being mentioned as interested in Ramirez included the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Angels, according to the Los Angeles Times.

This from the Globe's Nick Cafardo: "Don't be surprised to see a deal between the Padres and Red Sox before the deadline. Nothing is etched in stone, but the the two teams appear to be a good fit given their respective needs. The Padres are looking for a middle infielder and Padres GM Jed Hoyer has familiarity with Jed Lowrie from their Boston days. He's also looking for an outfielder and the Sox will have some excess in the form of Jeremy Hermida, Bill Hall and Darnell McDonald when Jacoby Ellsbury returns in a week to 10 days (or so is the hope). The Padres have an excellent bullpen. Lefty Joe Thatcher just returned off the DL with a shoulder strain. In 32 games he had a WHIP of 0.68 and was 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA. Nothing etched in stone, but Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer do speak quite often."

This from the Globe's Nick Cafardo:"The Red Sox, according to major league sources, will not overpay for Toronto lefty Scott Downs, who would have been their first choice to occupy the seventh-inning role in front of Daniel Bard. At this hour, the Downs scenario seemed a longshot unless the Jays got off asking for a top prospect like Casey Kelly."

This from the Globe's Peter Abraham:"Mike Lowell is not with Triple A Columbus today in Toledo, Ohio. He was 11 of 22 with four doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs in a five-game rehabilitation stint with the PawSox. It looks like Lowell will be activated off the disabled list tomorrow -- unless he is traded first. If not, the Red Sox will have a dilemma on their hands in terms of which player to take off the roster. The candidates would include Eric Patterson, Darnell McDonald, Bill Hall, Jed Lowrie and Jeremy Hermida."

This from the Globe's Nick Cafardo: "The Red Sox expect to do something to help their bullpen by the trading deadline Saturday afternoon. Toward that end they've explored everyone from Rafael Perez, Will Ohman, Mike Gonzalez, Matt Capps, Michael Wuertz, Craig Breslow, Sean Marshall, Kerry Wood, David Aardsma and Kyle Farnsworth to name a few. Judging by the cost of player talent it would take to obtain a solid reliever, it's unlikely the Sox would be in the catcher/outfield market unless they could swap one of their extra players on their 25-man roster for a new piece. Certainly, as the trade deadline nears prices tend to come down. The Red Sox have also been shopping Ramon Ramirez for the past few weeks with no match yet. But they would have to know they could obtain a reliever in order to move Ramirez. A National League team would be more apt to take a flier on Ramirez, who has good stuff and could fool hitters who haven't seen him as often as AL hitters."

The Globe's Nick Cafardo tweeted on Tuesday that the Red Sox have A's reliever Michael Wuertz is their "wish list" as the trade deadline approaches. The righthander, who began this season on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis, has posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with Oakland in 2010, but has allowed only one run in his past 13 appearances. Wuertz is signed through 2011 at a cost of $2.8 million with a club option of $3.25 million for 2012. The 31-year-old reliever went 6-1 with a 2.62 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 78 2/3 innings in 2009.

Fox Sports' Jon Morosi reported that the Red Sox were deep in talks for Royals outfielder David DeJesus before a thumb injury ended his season. DeJesus was batting .318 with five home runs and 37 RBIs.

Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported via Twitter that the Red Sox are among a handful of teams that have expressed "at least a passing interest" in Royals outfielder Jose Guillen. The Yankees, Mets and Padres have reportedly also inquired about the 34-year-old outfielder. MLB Trade Rumors notes that Guillen has approximately $4.76 million remaining on his $12 million 2010 salary. Guillen is hitting .273 this season but has still shown decent power, with 16 home runs and 59 RBIs.

Adrian Gonzalez is off the trade market according to USA Today, in large part due to the Padres leading the NL West by three games late in the season. That doesn't mean the Red Sox won't have a chance in the offseason to nab him.

The North County Times is reporting that Gonzalez has not had extension talks with the Padres, but that he is looking for an eight-year-deal.

Gonzalez's 2011 option has gone from $5.5 million to $6.2 million thanks to three All-Star selections, two Gold Gloves, and more than 1,650 plate appearances from 2008-10. That increase does nothing to change the fact that Gonzalez's deal is an absolute bargain for the Padres ... San Diego is likely to eventually deal Gonzalez, the Globe's Nick Cafardo wrote on July 18: "What hasn't changed is the attendance, which remains low, averaging 23,738 per game, down about 1,073 from last season.

Another thing that hasn't changed is that Adrian Gonzalez remains the team's lone superstar, and the 28-year-old can become a free agent at the end of next season. Which means there's still a chance Gonzalez could end up with the Red Sox, or whichever big-market team ponies up the right package of established players and prospects in the offseason or at the trading deadline next year." Two words for Red Sox fans: Be patient.

According to a tweet by Yahoo! Sports reporter Jeff Passan, the Red Sox, Yankees, and Tigers are among the teams looking into trading for Oakland A's lefthanded reliever Craig Breslow. Back in 2006, the Red Sox signed Breslow as a minor league free agent. The New Haven, Conn., native pitched in 13 games for Boston, going 12 innings total with a 12 strikeouts, 6 walks, and a 3.75 ERA. After his stint in Boston, Breslow spent time with the Indians and Twins before joining the A's where he he's pitched 44 2/3 innings this season, posting a 3.02 ERA to go along with 46 strikeouts and 17 walks.

According to a report in the Denver Post, "the Red Sox had a scout at the Rockies' game Wednesday night, but it wasn't tied to Chris Iannetta. While Boston will likely revisit talks for the catcher in the offseason, the Red Sox need relief pitching. The Marlins have a battery of electric arms, including closer Leo Nuñez." The Sox have put in a phone call to John Henry's former office in South Florida to ask the Marlins what it would take to bring Nunez or outfielder Cody Ross to Boston, this according to the Miami Herald's Clark Spencer. The Sox, like every contending team, are in the market for bullpen help for the second half of the season. They could also use a boost in the outfield with the continued absence of Jacoby Ellsbury.

The Colorado Rockies have rejected an offer from the Red Sox that would have sent rehabbing infielder Jed Lowrie to Colorado for catcher Chris Iannetta, this according to a tweet from NESN's Peter Gammons. FoxSports.com reported earlier in the week that the Red Sox were talking to the Rockies about Iannetta, although the Sox' interest in the catcher from Rhode Island is nothing new. The Sox also discussed acquiring Iannetta earlier this season. Iannetta was demoted to Triple A earlier in the season, but has been recalled and played well. He is a solid defensive catcher who was batting .220 through Monday with seven homers and 14 RBIs.

A former cog in the Red Sox bullpen, Aardsma is now the closer for a non-contending Seattle team. Aardsma, who is earning $2.75 million this season, converted his first six save chances of the season and had converted his last four entering Saturday night. But he's 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA. Asked by the Globe's Nick Cafardo whether he'd be interested in returning to Boston in a seventh-inning role, Aardsma said, "I'll take the ball whenever I'm called upon. I enjoyed my time in Boston. Obviously, coming here gave me the opportunity to be a closer. I thought I was in a good rhythm last year, but haven't been as solid this year. I have a better approach lately, but I'm not one of those [Mariano] Riveras or Jonathan Papelbons who is untouchable. If I'm traded, then I hope it's to a good situation."

When David Ortiz started his 2010 campaign as slowly as he started his in 2009, many wondered whether Ortiz would finish out the season in Boston. But 18 home runs and 57 RBIs in the first half have bolstered Ortiz's standing with the team in addition to boosting the slugger's confidence. The Red Sox hold a one-year, $12.5 million option on Ortiz for next season, but Ortiz said this week he'd like to avoid any messy contract talk and sign an extension with the Sox. "I'm going to tell you, I ain't going nowhere,'' Ortiz said Monday.

According to CSNNE.com's Sean McAdam, multiple sources are saying that the Red Sox were approached by the Cubs to "gauge their interest" in Kosuke Fukudome. McAdam writes that the Sox have walked away from the discussions for now because Chicago has refused to take on a significant portion of Fukudome's remaining salary. Fukudome, 33, will earn $13 million this season and another $13.5 million in 2011. According to the Chicago Tribune: "Baseball sources tell us that Cubs GM Jim Hendry has been very aggressive trying to move Kosuke Fukudome to ease the logjam in his crowded outfield. In fact, we hear that Hendry even offered to eat most of the money left on this year's salary and half of the $14 million that he is owed in 2011."

While Theo Epstein would like to have another outfielder in the Red Sox mix, it doesn't appear that former Sox outfielder David Murphy will be heading back to Boston. "Texas wouldn't even discuss David Murphy," wrote MLB.com's Peter Gammons on Monday. On the July, 31 2007 trading deadline, Murphy was shipped from Boston to Texas as part of the deal that brought reliever Eric Gagne to the the Red Sox.