Brandon Webb is still hoping to return in September and convince the Diamondbacks to pick up his option for next season. Arizona has an $8.5 million option on Webb's contract for next year, but could pay him just $2 million to buy the right-hander out. Webb has been out since Opening Day with shoulder problems. "Obviously we'll have as much information as we can leading up to early November," Diamondbacks general manager Josh Byrnes said. "There's a chance he throws competitively between now and then. We'll try to make the best decision we can."

The Cardinals want to keep Matt Holliday for the long-term, but neither the team nor the player are in a hurry to talk about an extension. St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said Monday that he expects to talk with Holliday's agent, Scott Boras, at some point. "Right now, I want him to experience St. Louis and just see how he likes it," Mozeliak said. "Trying to push something at this point doesn't make sense."

The Cardinals are hoping to re-sign Matt Holliday to ensure that his time in St. Louis will last longer than just a few months. Holliday is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, and the Cardinals have already said that they hope to sign him to an extension by mid-October. "We're not looking at this as a one-year deal, I assure you," Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said.

Roy Halladay says that he isn't interested in a contract extension, as he looks to test the free agent market next winter. Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi explained on Thursday why the team's stance on trading Halladay changed. Entering the season, Toronto claimed that they wouldn't trade the pitcher, but rather try to extend his contract. "What's changed is Roy has told us that he's going to test the free-agent market," Ricciardi said during a radio interview on The FAN590.

The Angels, according to a source, are in the "fact-gathering stages" of their pursuit of Aroldis Chapman, the hard-throwing, 21-year-old left-hander who defected from the Cuban national team in early July, and they are expected to be among the serious bidders for Chapman when he becomes a free agent. Chapman's fastball has been clocked at 100 mph, but he is considered a raw talent whose secondary pitches need work. Still, he could garner a deal in excess of $30 million. Angels first baseman Kendry Morales followed a similar path, but the 25-year-old doesn't have any inside information on Chapman. "When I was on the national team he was just a young kid," Morales said through an interpreter.

The Mets are unlikely to trade for Julio Lugo, but they are expected to sign the infielder when he becomes a free agent. Trading with the Red Sox for Lugo would put the Mets on the hook for the shortstop's $13.5 million in salary. Boston designated Lugo for assignment on Friday.

The Pirates have cut off talks with Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson after the duo didn't respond to multiyear offers. The decision increases the likelihood that Pittsburgh will trade the double-play tandem. Discussions could resume if the agents for the shortstop and second baseman make counter proposals to the Pirates, but general manager Neal Huntington cautioned that the team will not move far off the two-year offers made last week. "We've not received a counter at his point, so for our minds, they're not interested even in the foundation we've laid," Huntington said Sunday. "Typically in a negotiation you get a counter offer and that's how conversations continue, and we haven't gotten that."

Doug Davis hopes that he doesn't change teams prior to the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline. Actually, Davis is hoping that he can agree to terms on a contract extension with the Diamondbacks. "I get the sense they might come after me for an extension," Davis said. "They're not ready to start talking (terms) yet." Davis would like to return, but wants a multiyear deal.

The Red Sox and outfielder Jason Bay have again broken off talks on a contract extension. Boston general manager Theo Epstein called the team's latest offer to Bay an "aggressive" one. Epstein announced for the second time this year that the two sides have tabled discussions on a new deal. "It's now clear that this round of talks won't result in a deal, either," Epstein said. "As a result, we're going to table discussions again, which once again is a mutual decision, and pick them up most likely after the season."

Angels general manager Tony Reagins says that negotiations with potential free agents John Lackey and Chone Figgins won't come until after the season. Overall, the Angels have seven players that could hit the market and waiting until after the season increases the likelihood that they'll have to compete with other clubs. "It's unlikely we'd do anything during this time period," Reagins said Friday. "We don't want it to be a distraction. We want to focus on trying to win." The Angels had discussed an extension with Lackey, but an injury and his preference to focus solely on pitching during the season put talks on the back-burner. Lackey, Figgins, Bobby Abreu, Vladimir Guerrero, Robb Quinlan, Kelvim Escobar and Darren Oliver are all potential free agents.