New York @ Seattle preview
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Last Meeting ( Jul 8, 2010 ) NY Yankees 3, Seattle 1
As one of the prime targets before the July 31 trading deadline, it will not be a surprise if Seattle Mariners ace left-hander Cliff Lee changes teams soon. Real soon, as in he might merely have to switch dugouts this weekend.
Lee is scheduled to start the second game of a four-game series Friday night against the New York Yankees at Safeco Field, but if a report in the New York Post is true, Lee could be going to New York in pinstripes.
The Post reported that the Yankees have emerged as the front-runner to land the coveted Lee, who leads the American League in ERA (2.34) and has thrown three complete games in his last four starts.
The Yankees reportedly would include top prospect Jesus Montero, a minor-league catcher, as part of a package deal in exchange for the lefty.
Other reports have Texas as the leading candidate for Lee. The Mariners trail Texas by 16 games in the American League West.
New York won its sixth consecutive game, rallying for a 3-1 victory over Seattle on a two-run single by Alex Rodriguez in the top of the ninth Thursday.
The Yankees tried to get Lee in the offseason from Philadelphia, when they also reportedly offered Montero, but the Phillies decided instead to trade him to the Mariners for three minor-leaguers. Lee beat the Yankees twice in last year’s World Series.
Lee, who becomes a free agent after this season, said Thursday that while he was open to the idea of signing a long-term deal with the Mariners during spring training, the club never pursued it.
“We told them in spring training that if they wanted to do something, to do it before the season starts,” Lee told reporters. “They decided not to, and that's really that.”
Lee didn’t take the Mariners’ decision not to pursue talks as a slight. Seattle had signed Felix Hernandez to a five-year, $78 million deal in January, so the idea of locking in Lee long-term might not have been a top priority.
Mariners management declined comment on the issue.
Lee (8-3) would join former Cleveland teammate CC Sabathia in New York. Lee won the 2008 Cy Young Award with the Indians and is a candidate again despite starting the season almost a month late because of an oblique injury.
He has a remarkable 89 strikeouts with just six walks. He was named AL pitcher of the month for June and was selected for Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
First, however, Lee will try to beat the Yankees and right-hander Phil Hughes (10-2, 3.83) tonight in a rematch of their June 29 meeting.
In that matchup, Lee pitched a complete game, allowing three earned runs on eight hits. Hughes was tagged for seven runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.
In another twist, should Lee become a Yankee, he might replace Hughes in the starting rotation. Lee has won five of his past seven starts against the Yankees.