The growing sense around baseball is that the Philadelphia Phillies would prefer to trade Cliff Lee this month and hold onto Cole Hamels.

Lee is expected back soon from an elbow issue that has sidelined him for a few weeks. He may return in time to pitch a few games before the July 31 deadline.

Lee, who was 4-4 with a 3.18 ERA before being sidelined, is owed $48 million through the end of next year.