It once seemed impossible that the Red Sox could afford to extend Jacoby Ellsbury's contract, but having shed the huge deals of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford it now seems possible.

Ellsbury's agent has talked about him as a "franchise player," but it's unlikely that the Red Sox will pay him as such. Still, the idea of a new long-term deal will probably be discussed this offseason.

His ability to stay healthy and lone MVP-caliber season (2011) should keep any team from paying him too handsomely.

The Red Sox placed Jon Lester on waivers this month and he was claimed, according to a report.

After the claim was made, the Red Sox pulled Lester back off waivers rather than trade him or allow another team to assume his contract.

Lester will earn $11.625 million next year and his contract includes a $13 million team option for 2014.

It appears as though Alfonso Soriano will spend the remainder of the season with the Cubs.

Soriano, who vetoed a trade to the Giants last month, was placed on waivers.

Chicago is expected to address trading Soriano this winter.

With the Dodgers having taken on a ton of salary via trade over the last month, it's unlikely that they will target Josh Hamilton as a free agent this winter.

The Red Sox cut salary, but there are a number of other major-market clubs that will likely pass on the slugger, including the Yankees, Phillies and Angels.

"So it's going to be a fascinating market for him, because of his history," one American League executive said of Hamilton.

"Any player who can have the impact on a game he can have, you'd love to add. But on a nine-figure deal … I wouldn't say he's a slam dunk to make a team happy for the next seven years. To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me to see a mid-market team come out of the woodwork and step up and pay him, kind of like the way the Reds did with Joey Votto. As we always say, all you need is one team."

J.J. Hardy isn't sure what impact youngster Manny Machaco will have on him playing shortstop for the Orioles going forward.

"Does it cross my mind? Yeah. I'm not going to lie. I was in the same situation in Milwaukee with Alcides Escobar coming up," Hardy said. "I don't know what's going to happen. He's 20 years old. He is going to be really big. He's doing a great job at third base right now, so I feel like all I need to worry about is playing shortstop as good as I can and things will take care of themselves. If I'm too old, if he is 22 years old and he's a better shortstop and has more range, well that's just the way the game works. You pick your spots, but I feel like right now all I am doing is worrying about playing the best shortstop I can and he is doing a great job at third base."

While Machado has been playing third for Baltimore since a recent promotion, they drafted him as a shortstop.

Shane Victorino is interested in re-signing with the Dodgers this winter, but will be looking for a starting role with the team that traded for him last month.

The 31-year-old might find L.A.'s outfield to be crowded.

The Dodgers have Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier in the outfield. They also acquired Carl Crawford, who is under contract through 2017, in a trade last weekend.

"Are you crazy?" Victorino told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. "I'm not even thinking about stepping back. Why would I? I'm 31 years old. ... I'm going to be an everyday play, whether it be here, whether it be Philly, whether it be any uniform."

The Blue Jays received calls about Aaron Sanchez, the 34th pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, but they refused to deal him at last month's deadline.

Toronto scouting director Andrew Tinnish saw Sanchez pitch four times before they selected him.

"There was not one particular moment that stood out," Tinnish said. "He had such a good delivery. He sat at 92 and even when he hit 95, he was effortless. There wasn't that one moment, but there was consistency. When I got a chance to meet him, he was a kid focused on getting to the big leagues. 

"I've seen him sit on 95 and not even break a sweat. Every time I see him, his curve ball gets better."

Sanchez has made great strides over the last two years, which is why the Blue Jays are holding onto him.

"No wonder they didn't trade Sanchez. We heard they had all kinds of offers for him at the deadline. They did the right thing holding on to him," a veteran evaluator said.

Veteran Aubrey Huff will likely be reinstated from the DL Saturday when rosters can be expanded to 40 players.

Huff knows that he probably won't have a prominent role in the stretch drive, but he shares Giants manager Bruce Bochy's hope that he can contribute as a pinch-hitter or late-inning replacement.

"It's a tough time of the year to go out there and try to find some timing," the first baseman said Thursday. "But, in the end, if you get the adrenaline going, none of that is going to matter."

Nationals star pitcher Stephen Strasburg has "probably" two or three starts remaining before he's done for the season, and he no longer can claim he wasn't told about the pending shutdown.

Manager Davey Johnson said he spoke to Strasburg about the innings limit Wednesday night on the flight home from Miami.

With his team currently in last place, Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen says he'll make at least one change in his approach next year: He'll be less patient with injured players.

"Same philosophy, less bull," Guillen said Wednesday. "That's going to work better."