The Red Sox roared back into the Johan Santana sweepstakes Monday night after the Yankees refused to make right-hander Ian Kennedy the third player in their offer.
The Yankees had set Monday night as their deadline for completing a deal with the Twins. The impasse prompted the Twins to revive negotiations with the Red Sox, sources said — and as midnight CT passed, the Yankees were still talking to the Twins as well.
The Twins adjourned their discussions with both clubs at approximately 1:30 a.m. CT. The talks are expected to resume Tuesday.
According to Hank Steinbrenner, however, the Twins are still asking more than the Yankees are willing to give.
“It’s still something that we can’t do,” Steinbrenner told the Associated Press Tuesday morning. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s probably off.”
Of course, the Yankees’ recent ultimatums have rang hollow. They said they would not negotiate with Alex Rodriguez after he opted out of his contract. It’s also difficult to imagine they would simply walk away from these negotiations and allow the Red Sox to complete a deal. The Yankees, as an organization, rarely surrender.
Meanwhile, the Sox remain unwilling to include outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury in the same deal as left-hander Jon Lester, but the Twins might opt for their offer if the Yankees decline to include a third quality prospect with righty Phil Hughes and outfielder Melky Cabrera.
The Sox’s original non-Ellsbury proposal included Lester, center fielder Coco Crisp, minor-league shortstop Jed Lowrie and an undetermined fourth player, probably a minor-league pitcher.