SI.com's Jon Heyman says it appears the Philadelphia Phillies are the favorites to land Roy Halladay.
Yikes! Facing Halladay and Cole Hamels in the post-season wouldn't be much fun.
As for the Yankees, here is what Heyman had to say.
The Yankees and Red Sox were both informed early that the Jays would look elsewhere first, and the Jays have stuck to that by not yet following up on an original call with the Yankees. For the first time, Ricciardi explained his stance on dealing the superstar inside the division. "We're not averse to doing it,'' Ricciardi said by phone. "(But) it's something that would obviously have to be a good return back.''
The Yankees understand they'd have to surrender one of two top young pitchers, Joba Chamberlain or new eighth-inning star Phil Hughes, plus some names from a high-end prospect list that would likely include outfielder Austin Jackson and one of two catchers, Jesus Montero or Francisco Cervelli. There is a belief that while the Yankees have to pay a premium, and one person familiar with their thinking said they badly don't want to "gut their system,'' they still have requested of Toronto a right to match (or in this case beat) the best offer when the deal's about to go down.