ESPN’s Peter Gammons is reporting that Randy Johnson could be a Yankee as early as mid-December.
A source in the Arizona organization tells ESPN’s Peter Gammons the Red Sox don’t have the starting pitcher the Diamondbacks want, and neither do the Cardinals, leaving the Yankees as the only legitimate suitor for the Big Unit. The same source says Johnson will be traded to New York sometime next week.
Arizona either wants the Yankees to go outside their organization to acquire another starting pitcher to include in the deal or agree to send Tom Gordon along with Javier Vazquez, 3B prospect Eric Duncan and approximately $4 million a year of Vazquez’s contract.
Earlier Wednesday, the Providence Journal reported the Red Sox were in discussions with the Diamondbacks about possibly trading right-hander Bronson Arroyo, pitching prospect Jon Lester and at least one other top prospect. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently indicated the Cardinals also were still trying to land Johnson, but GM Walt Jocketty won’t package Danny Haren, Rick Ankiel and Kiko Calero to get it done.