Baseball rumors

Joe Crede is just about ready to go after his latest back procedure. Agent Scott Boras says there’s a chance Crede could help a team this season, but it’s more likely he will look to sign in the offseason with an eye on 2011. …

Adam Dunn is looking for a deal of at least four years for $60 million after having to settle for a two-year deal with the Nationals in his first run at free agency. The Nats want to keep him, but not at that price. It’s likely he will be traded, with the Yankees, Angels and White Sox at the head of the list. …

The Rangers remain interested in a right-handed-hitting first baseman it can pair with Chris Davis. The Cubs’ Xavier Nady is among those on the Rangers’ radar, as is the Red Sox’s Mike Lowell. The Rangers agreed to a Lowell trade in spring training, but the deal fell apart because of health concerns with Lowell and the Rangers’ Max Ramirez. …

Prospects Dustin Ackley (Mariners) and Mike Moustakas (Royals) have been promoted from Double-A to Triple-A. Ackley could be Seattle’s regular second baseman next year; Moustakas could take over third base for Kansas City. … Teams are shying away from Roy Oswalt, possibly because they believe they would have to exercise a $16 million option for 2012 to get him to waive his no-trade clause. … The Tigers would have loved to land Alex Gonzalez, who went from the Blue Jays to the Braves for Yunel Escobar. Shortstop has killed them all season, as has catcher. They had the fewest RBIs from the 7-9 spots in the AL at the All-Star break. …

Can the Red Sox hold together until they start getting players back? Clay Buchholz and Josh Beckett were scheduled to start for Triple-A Pawtucket this weekend and could be back next week. But Dustin Pedroia was still on crutches at the All-Star Game, and no one seems to know how long it will take Victor Martinez’s left thumb to heal. Jacoby Ellsbury could be 10 days away from testing his ribs in a rehab assignment. While GM Theo Epstein is looking to trade for a reliever ( Kerry Wood?), Aurora’s Michael Bowden has been moved from the rotation to the bullpen at Pawtucket.

progers@tribune.com