Despite an announcement on Oct. 25 that the Blue Jays would no longer grant permission for employees to make lateral moves, the Red Sox still tried to pry manager John Farrell away from Toronto. According to Major League sources, Boston has had conversations with the Blue Jays about Farrell since Toronto's policy shift, asking what it would take for them to reconsider their position. However, the Red Sox never considered it likely that the Blue Jays would engage in serious discussions about Farrell and the conversations failed to progress.