ROY HOLLIDAY COMMING TO THE PHILLIES

By Jon Heyman, SI.com


Roy Halladay went 17-10 for the Blue Jays in 2009 and has spent his entire 12-year career with Toronto.
AP
The Phillies are in agreement on a three-team trade with the Mariners and Blue Jays to acquire star pitcher Roy Halladay while shipping Cliff Lee to Seattle, pending a few final details, SI.com has learned.

Sources indicate Halladay is likely to agree to a contract extension to complete the deal in the next couple days. The deal is not expected to be finalized today due to its complexity.

The Mariners would get Lee in the trade to complement Felix Hernandez and form a formidable rotation, while the Phillies balance their rotation by adding the right-handed Halladay at the top to go with lefty Cole Hamels. Seattle and Philadelphia are both expected to give up prospects in the deal, with the Mariners sending prospects to both the Phillies and Blue Jays. It is believed righthanded pitcher Phillipe Aumont, a Canadian, may be going to Toronto from Seattle. Other names discussed included Mariners athletic outfield prospect Michael Saunders and Phillies outfield prospect Michael Taylor. The Mariners were trying to hold onto top pitching prospect Brandon Morrow.

Halladay's signing with Philly is thought to be something of a formality, and though terms are not known it's expected he'll receive around $20 million a year. Halladay wanted to be in Philadelphia, as the Phillies train in Clearwater, Fla., not far from his offseason home in Oldsmar. It is believed he isn't going to insist on a deal to match Johan Santana's $137.5-million contract.

This trade was precipitated by the Phillies' realization they were not going to be able to get a quick deal with Lee, who starred for them in the playoffs and like Halladay is a year away from free agency. Lee made clear he was offering no discount, whereas the Phillies are expected to lock up Halladay since they are his chosen team. He had a no-trade clause, which meant the Jays needed to make a deal with one of his preferred teams. The Yankees were thought to be his other top choice but their pitching needs aren't as acute as Philly's.

The Phillies are trying to keep their payroll at around $140 million while making sure they have an ace for the future. There were no guarantees Lee would stay beyond 2010.

Halladay had been targeted by the Phillies since last summer, but they were unable to reach a deal with Toronto for the ace righty. After failing to get Halladay, Philadelphia turned to Lee instead and he helped pitch the Phils to a second consecutive World Series appearance.

In acquiring Lee, the Mariners will land the ace they had been seeking to go with King Felix. Lee won the 2008 AL Cy Young winner with the Indians and emerged as the Phillies ace last year after being dealt from Cleveland to Philadelphia just days before the July 31 deadline. Ironically, that trade only happened after the Phillies were unable to pry Halladay loose from the Blue Jays earlier that month. Lee went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA after the trade, and then 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in the postseason, including victories in Philadelphia's only two wins in the World Series.

Lee will be returning to the American League, where he won the 2008 Cy Young award. Halladay is also a former AL Cy Young winner, taking top honors in 2003 and finishing in the top five each of the past four seasons. Halladay went 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA in 2009, leading the American League with nine complete games and four shutouts.

One loser here is the Angels, who were interested in John Lackey and Halladay and missed out on both of them, with Lackey closing in on a deal with the Red Sox.