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Should the Phillies trade for Jacoby Ellsbury?

The Red Sox are shopping outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, a former All-Star.

Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly shopping around All-Star center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Should the Philadelphia Phillies make a play for the 29-year-old?

Philly.com's Bob Brookover wrote Wednesday that Ellsbury would be an "interesting option" for the Phillies:

What would the Phillies have to surrender in a trade for Ellsbury? The deal could get done for righthander Vance Worley because the Red Sox need another starting pitcher. Worley, 25, should be attractive to a lot of teams even though he is coming off a frustrating season caused by a bone spur that was surgically removed in September. Worley is not eligible for salary arbitratrion until after the 2013 season and cannot be a free agent until after the 2017 season. The Red Sox, after spending big in the free-agent market this offseason, should like that kind of low-cost option for the back of their starting rotation.

The Red Sox signed Shane Victorino to a three-year, $39 million deal on Tuesday, meaning they already have a center field replacement should Ellsbury get traded. As of now, Victorino is slated to be the team's starting right fielder in April.

Ellsbury is under team control for 2013, but then he is likely to become a free agent. His agent is Scott Boras, so the likelyhood that Ellsbury tests the market -- instead of negotiating a long-term deal with the Red Sox or wherever he may be traded -- is great.

Worley would be a useful piece for the Red Sox, who had one of the worst starting rotations in baseball last season. The team has Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz returning to anchor the rotation, but both were inconsistent last year. John Lackey is expected back from Tommy John surgery, while Felix Doubront is young starter who impressed the organization with his work last season.