Just two months ago, Jose Abreu emphatically stated his desire to remain with the Chicago White Sox.

“I would like to stay here forever,” Abreu said via a team interpreter during the final series of the season in late September.

It remains to be seen whether that will happen as, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, the White Sox are in talks with the Boston Red Sox about a possible deal for the slugging first baseman.

Abreu, who is under team control for two more seasons, is the biggest trade asset the White Sox have left while they continue a radical rebuild. The 30-year-old hit .304 with 33 home runs and 102 RBI last season.

Despite those numbers and Abreu being a valued leader, General Manager Rick Hahn has said he will consider trade options for all players. During the general managers meetings in Orlando, Fla., earlier this month, Hahn said teams had inquired about Abreu and outfielder Avisail Garcia.

“Everything is in play,” Hahn said. “Even a couple of years back, when we came to these meetings, there would be all these Chris Sale rumors, and the reason is because we had to keep our options open and at least have those types of conversations. … It would be foolish for any of us to break off a conversation because you never know whether in that conversation or six months later (it) leads to a fit that serves us well.”

Heyman tweeted that the White Sox have been in “active talks” with the Red Sox and “others” on Abreu. The Red Sox have long coveted Abreu and were in the running when the White Sox signed the Cuban star in 2013.

TRADES: Right-hander Brad Boxberger was acquired by the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Tampa Bay Rays for minor league right-hander Curtis Taylor.

Boxberger, 29, was an AL All-Star in 2015, when he led the league with 41 saves, but he has battled injuries the past two seasons. He went 4-4 with a 3.38 ERA in 30 games this year while dealing with a right flexor strain.

Boxberger is 17-20 with a 3.19 ERA over six seasons with San Diego and Tampa Bay.

Taylor, 22, went 3-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 13 starts for Class A Kane County last season, his second in the Diamondbacks’ system.

Arizona has 15 arbitration-eligible players heading into Friday’s deadline to offer 2018 contracts to unsigned players on 40-man rosters. Tampa Bay cut its total to 11.

• The Los Angeles Angels acquired pitcher Jim Johnson and the Atlanta Braves’ remaining $1.21 million in international bonus signing allocation for minor league left-hander Justin Kelly, a deal that raises Los Angeles’ possible bonus offer to Shohei Ohtani to $1,315,000.

Los Angeles had been 28th among the 30 teams in bonus space for Ohtani. The trade lifted the Angels to seventh behind Texas ($3,535,000), the New York Yankees ($3.5 million), Minnesota ($3.07 million), Pittsburgh ($2,266,750), Seattle ($1,557,500) and Miami ($1.49 million).

Ohtani, coveted as a pitcher and an outfielder, could be posted as soon as Friday by the Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan’s Pacific League and will be available to any major league team willing to pay his team’s posting fee, expected to be the $20 million maximum.

ATHLETICS: Versatile right-hander Yusmeiro Petit agreed to a $10 million, two-year contract with Oakland, a deal that is pending a physical.

His agent, Rafael Godoy, confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press. Godoy said by phone he was working to schedule a physical with the A’s for next week. The 33-year-old reliever is at home in Venezuela, with plans to travel to Argentina this weekend.

“It’s a long trip for the physical with the A’s, but it’s worth it,” Godoy said.

BLUE JAYS: Television analyst Gregg Zaun has been fired from Sportsnet for “inappropriate behavior and comments” toward female employees.

Rick Brace, president of Rogers Media, said in a statement that the company received complaints from multiple women about Zaun.

Zaun, 46, was a catcher for 16 major league seasons, including five years in Toronto from 2004-2008. He help the Florida Marlins win the World Series in 1997.

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