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The Yankees rejected a trade with the Reds that would have brought Brandon Phillips to New York in exchange for Brett Gardner, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
The Reds are actively shopping the veteran Phillips right now, in part because he insinuated that the front office lied to him during contract negotiations, according to Mike Axisa of CBS Sports.
Axisa explains that Phillips tried to use the potential trade to re-open his contract, possibly using his no-trade clause as leverage.
The 32-year-old signed a six year, $72.5 million deal at the start of the 2012 season which includes a no-trade clause that allows him to block a deal to ten teams.
Phillips earned a Gold Glove for his defense in 2013 and hit .261/.310/.396 with 18 home runs while leading the Reds with 103 RBIs last season, but he appears to have fallen out of favor in Cincinnati at this point.
Axisa says Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters at the winter meetings that he has no intention of trading Gardner, though he is willing to listen to offers. Other teams may see the 30-year-old outfielder as expendable for the Yankees, however, since New York has signed Jacoby Ellsbury. Cashman does not appear to share that perception at this point, however.
Following Robinson Cano's departure, the team does have interest in Phillips, reports Axisa, though the price here was too high.
