As of the writing of this article, the Yankees and Athletics have been reported as anywhere from far apart to the active leaders in a trade involving Sonny Gray for much of the past week, but things are speeding up now. Gray was scratched from his scheduled start Sunday, which was the rumored deadline that Billy Beane wanted to get a deal for Gray done by. Talks between our front offices have reportedly also gotten past the issue of including Torres/Frazier in the deal, and are now negotiating over the complementary pieces.

This has one of two implications: either the Yankees or Athletic's have caved on their hard stances regarding the inclusion of the two stud prospects. This is massive, as it will determine which fanbase ultimately winds up pleased with this deal and which one hates it. But since we simply don't know which way that pendulum swung, let's look at what the likely packages are for each scenario.

If the Yankees have indeed blinked and thrown one of their highest-tier prospects, the most likely candidate is Gleyber Torres. Why? Because he is considered to be in a tier on his own as far as our prospects go, meaning the overall number of prospects being shipped lessens, and because Clint Frazier has already inserted himself as a major-league hitter and active contributor to our penant race. Trading him would have the opposite effect that the trade to bring in Kahnle and Robertson had, which exludes Frazier automatically despite having slightly less value. So, building off of a package with Torres as the headliner, and taking into account the needs of Oakland and our untouchables if Torres is included, a likely package could be the following:

Oakland receives:

Gleyber Torres (SS/2B/3B)

Jorge Mateo (SS/OF)

and one of Domingo Acevedo (RHP), Dillon Tate (RHP), or Ben Heller (RHP)

Since Torres is the headliner and Mateo covers the demand for a centerfielder, this package gets rounded out by a lower pitching prospect that likely projects to be a bullpen piece. I would personally include Heller here, since with the Yankees overhaul of the bullpen he doesn't really have a fit here in New York, and I think he still has value.

If instead, it is the Athletic's that have moved on from their initial demands of Torres/Frazier, it gets trickier to build a package that would rival the value that a Torres can provide, but still be worthwhile to Oakland. Estevan Florial, a true centerfield prospect whose emergence allowed the Yankees to be comfortable trading Blake Rutherford, would have to be the centerpiece of the deal. But his inclusion devalues Mateo in the eyes of Oakland, since he wouldn't be the outfielder they covet anymore, and is still a notch below getting Torres, not to mention he is years from The Show. So additional pieces would have to be thrown in, likely in the 4-5 player range, to satisfy both parties. Here is what a package centered around Florial could look like:

Oakland receives:

Estevan Florial (OF)

Jorge Mateo (SS/OF)

Zack Littell (RHP)

Dustin Fowler (OF)

James Kaprielian (RHP)

This is the best offer we could provide where we also avoid giving over ANY of our untouchables. It's giving up a lot of our lower level's potential, and its a sell-low on two guys who are currently injured (Fowler and Kaprielian), but if Oakland is the one who caves, it's possible that this is a package. Possible, but not likely in my mind. Theres might be too many maybes in that package for Oakland to feel comfortable taking, on top of passing on Torres. In that case, this would be a more likely trade where a middle ground is found, no-one is 100% happy, but we still accomplish our goal of holding onto Torres:

Oakland receives:

Estevan Florial (OF)

Jorge Mateo (SS/OF)

One of: Chance Adams (RHP) or Justus Sheffield (LHP)

One of: Dustin Fowler (OF) or Domingo Acevedo (RHP)

Should Chance be the option they choose as a third, Fowler goes as a fourth, and vice-versa for Sheffield/Acevedo. It would hurt to lose either of those starting prospects, but I think it's justifiable since we're not only acquiring a really good pitcher, but one that is going to come with two additional years on his contract. Gotta give to get, and getting a proven commodity is the right move to make when it is all but guaranteed that neither one will be brought up this season to contribute.

A day ago, I felt like the window had closed on the Gray deal for the Yankees. Now, the sweepstakes likely ends tonight, and with us taking the prize, for better or worse. Should a deal be struck, regardless of what the package ends up being, know that we are still all-in on both this year AND the future, and that's the most important part.