7/24 17:00: Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports says the Royals have placed a two Major League-ready pitcher with top-of-the-rotation potential as the price tag for Greinke.

7/23 13:20: Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated says that Greinke’s name is out there, but others who have spoken with the Royals believe Greinke, Soria and Billy Butler will stay.

7/23 12:50:Tom Krasniqi is reporting via twitter that the Rays are “Kicking the tires” with regards to Greinke. The Rays could easily afford Greinke and his salary as he is in the second year of a 4 year $38mm contract.

7/23 10:19: According to several baseball executives close to George A. King III of the New York Post, the Kansas City Royals haven’t told other clubs there are any “untouchables on the roster.”

“They will listen on all of them,” an NL source said yesterday.

King says that ace Zack Greinke could be available and it could make the New York Yankees rethink their stance on having enough pitching. It’s likely that if the Royals trade Greinke, they will want top tier prospects in return.

Greinke who is 6-9 with a 3.59 ERA makes $7.25 million this year, $13.5 million next year and $13 million in 2012. He has a limited no-trade clause for this year only.

In other Royals’ trade possibilities, the Yankees love Joakim Soria, and he would be an excellent 8th inning setup guy for Mariano Rivera. However, it would likely cost a lot to acquire the 26-year-old Soria who has converted 26 of 28 saves. Soria is affordable given that he has three club options that start in 2012. He will make $3 million this year and $4 million next year. In 2012, there is a club option for $6 million that can become guaranteed if he pitches 55 games in 2011 or a combined 110 games this year and next. In 2013 the club option is $8 million and in 2014 the club option jumps to $8.75 million with a $750,000 buyout.

David DeJesus is a New York native and the Yankees have had him on the radar for years. DeJesus makes $4.7 million this year, and there is a $6 million option for next year or a $500,000 buyout.

Jose Guillen fits the Yankees need for a right-handed bat, and Guillen told people he expects to be a Yankee soon, but a Yankees club source said that’s not happening.

Related posts:

1. Is Zack Greinke being underpaid for his 2009 Cy Young Award?
2. Kansas City Royals Rumors: Could the Red Sox be interested in Rick Ankiel or David DeJesus?
3. Kansas City Royals Rumors: Trade speculation on DeJesus, Podsednik, Guillen, Farnsworth, Ankiel
4. Kansas City Royals Rumors: Will Royals move DH Jose Guillen and RHP Kyle Farnsworth?
5. Kansas City Royals David DeJesus out for the year