With 2008 Cy Young winner Cliff Lee leaving the Cleveland Indians for the Philadelphia Phillies, the landscape shifts somewhat, in ways that could mean more deals for the Red Sox — but the price for Roy Halladay will probably still be too high to make a deal with Boston worthwhile.

As Friday's 4 p.m. trade deadline looms, the acquisition of Lee by the Phillies makes it more likely that Boston will trade for either Toronto's Halladay or Cleveland's Victor Martinez in the next two days. But the asking price for Halladay remains so elevated that the odds are that Boston will focus its resources on acquiring Martinez. They won't give up the farm system for Halladay unless the price comes down at the last minute.

Meanwhile, it appears that the Red Sox will likely go forward at shortstop with the combination of Nick Green and Jed Lowrie now that trade target Jack Wilson of Pittsburgh is off to Seattle. Word has also come down that Boston turned down a deal to reacquire Orlando Cabrera from Oakland.

The Blue Jays want to be overwhelmed for Halladay, and they're down to two suitors — the Red Sox and the Rangers.

Boston doesn't want to deal its youngest talent, particularly 2008 draftees shortstop/pitcher Casey Kelly and Rhode Island native center fielder Ryan Westmoreland. They expect that Clay Buchholz will be part of any package, and have also reportedly offered Michael Bowden to Toronto, among others.

But Toronto wants Buchholz, Kelly, Double-A first baseman Lars Anderson and hotshot rookie Daniel Bard in the deal. Boston probably won't go that high.

Now that Philadelphia is out of the running, Boston may be inclined to increase its offer, especially since they're currently battling the other team in the Halladay Sweepstakes — the Rangers — for the wild card.

But the Red Sox will not package those prospects together, and unless Toronto comes down from its demands, a deal is unlikely.

In fact, it's thought that the chances of Toronto trading Halladay is now down to 1 in 10.

If the Red Sox decide that price is too steep, some of those assets could also be leveraged to acquire Cleveland's Martinez, a switch-hitting catcher who figures to play more first base as his career continues. Martinez would fill several holes for Boston, allowing him to supplant Jason Varitek behind the plate some days, and play first base on others, while Kevin Youkilis moves across the diamond to spell Mike Lowell.

The two sides have been talking Martinez for weeks now, but Boston has been reluctant to give up Buchholz as part of the deal and Cleveland has not been interested in some of Boston's lesser prospects.

By trading their ace, the Indians have signaled that they are building for the future. Trading Martinez and his $4.5 million contract now would allow the Indians to have maximum financial flexibility, and clear room on their roster for the power bats they have sitting at Triple-A.

The talent acquired in the Lee deal also makes a Martinez trade more likely.

One of the players heading from Philadelphia to Cleveland for Lee was Triple-A catcher Lou Marson, a top prospect who immediately becomes the heir apparent to Martinez.

With Marson in the Cleveland fold, Martinez figures to be gone in the next 48 hours, to Boston or elsewhere.

The Indians have had scouts at Pawtucket's last few games, evaluating the talent at that level. The scouts were there despite the absence of Buchholz, Cleveland's top target, who is pitching for Boston right now.

Meanwhile, it's unlikely that Boston will make a deal for a shortstop in the next few days. While the front office has checked around the league this month for upgrades to the combo of Green and Lowrie at short, the club has just turned down a possible deal for Cabrera, who won a World Series with Boston in 2004.

Tuesday, Oakland GM Billy Beane offered shortstop Cabrera for two Boston minor leaguers -- Triple-A Pawtucket's All Star closer Fernando Cabrera and Pawtucket 1B/OF Chris Carter. Sox GM Theo Epstein turned him down.

Fernando Cabrera, 27, has a 1.73 ERA and 17 saves in 41 2/3 innings for Pawtucket this season. Carter, 26, owns a .272 batting average, 11 home runs, and 43 RBI.

Beane has also been trying to deal the 34-year-old Orlando Cabrera to the Minnesota Twins, and shortstop has helped his case by having a torrid July. Cabrera would come cheaply, with around $1.5 million left to be paid this season on his one year, $4 million contract.

Boston's other rumored shortstop target, Wilson, was traded to Seattle this afternoon.

The Red Sox remain in talks for San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, though the Padres' demands make a deal a slim possibility.

Boston has made several deals so far this month, but they have served to shore up holes in the system and add depth, not give the Sox the extra piece needed to lead to a World Series run.

Lefty slugger Chris Duncan, first baseman Adam LaRoche and outfielder Brian Anderson have all joined Boston in the past week. All three are good players who represent a upgrade for the Red Sox system; none are impact players along the lines of a Martinez or Halladay.

Joe McDonald contributed to this story.

dbarbari@projo.com