UPDATE: Lee told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart that he expects to make a decision Sunday.
1:43 PM: ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that as of this early afternoon, Carlos Lee continues to tell the Astros that he will not waive his no-trade clause.
Joining a contender should be a no-brainer, right? Not so easy. As Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com notes, Lee has a successful cattle ranch in Texas and is quite comfortable there.
1:01 PM: It appears the Astros and Dodgers have reached agreement on a deal that would send Carlos Lee to Los Angeles. However, Lee must waive his partial no-trade clause for the deal to go through.
According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Lee said the Dodgers have made him an an offer and he’s currently mulling over whether he will accept. He said he was given no deadline to make a decision. As of now, he is in the lineup for this afternoon’s game against the Cubs.
Lee, who turned 36 earlier this month, is hitting .290/.342/.412 with five homers, 29 RBI and a .754 OPS in 257 plate appearances this year. This includes a .667 OPS and zero homers on the road. His arrival would push James Loney into a part-time role.
Lee is due roughly $9 million for the rest of this season before hitting free agency and it’s believed the Dodgers are willing to absorb his remaining salary rather than give up a significant prospect. Garrett Gould, a 20-year-old right-handed pitcher, was scratched from a start with with High-A Rancho Cucamonga last night and could be headed to the Astros. Baseball America ranked him as the Dodgers’ No. 6 prospect during the offseason.