TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -New York Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner has not closed the door on a trade for Minnesota Twins left-hander Johan Santana.
“It’s still in the deciding process,” Steinbrenner said Monday night outside Legends Field at the Yankees’ spring training complex. “We’re still discussing it. There’s still a little talk back and forth.”
Right-hander Phil Hughes and center fielder Melky Cabrera would likely be part of a multiplayer package needed to obtain Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who can become a free agent after this season.
Steinbrenner said reports that the Yankees recently withdrew a formal offer to the Twins are not true.
“There wasn’t an official offer anyway. You can’t withdraw something that wasn’t there,” Steinbrenner said. “There was no official offer on the table at this time.”
The New York Mets and Boston Red Sox are also interested in Santana.
The Yankees plan to have an innings-pitched limit for another promising young pitcher, Joba Chamberlain, this season.
Steinbrenner said one option is to have Chamberlain start the season in the bullpen, when teams normally needed just four starters, and then join the rotation. The decision will be made by manager Joe Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland.
“He will be a starter. That’s everybody’s intention,” Steinbrenner said. “How to start him out the year and build up his innings, and how to get him to that point is up to Girardi and Eiland. They may want to start him out in the bullpen and go to a starter. Or he could go a couple other different options.”
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