Royals Would Not Trade Zack Greinke To AL Central Division Rival

The Zack Greinke trade rumors aren't yet out in full force, but there have been whispers. With no clear top-of-the-line starter available on the market outside of Cliff Lee, Greinke's name has come up as a possible backup plan for both the Rangers and the Yankees, among others.

Four teams whose names won't come up? The Tigers, Indians, Twins, and White Sox. According to Jon Heyman, at least, the Royals will not consider trading Greinke to another AL Central division rival, because they don't want to have to see him again a bunch of times after he's dealt.

No other teams in the AL Central have been considered strong possibilities to land Greinke anyway, so this update doesn't really change things very much. If the Yankees sign Lee, expect to see the Rangers ramp up their efforts to land the 27-year-old righty. If the Rangers sign Lee, expect the Yankees to at least give it a shot, even though there are conflicting reports on whether Greinke would even be willing to play in New York.