One source characterized chances of a deal involving Josh Beckett as less than 50-50 (AP)

With a bit more than 18 hours left until the trade deadline, here is where things stand with the Red Sox, based on conversations with multiple major league sources:

– A major league source disputed the notion that the Sox were actively shopping or looking to engage in an outright dump of Josh Beckett, in which the team would be willing to absorb the lion’s share of his contract. If the Sox were to move the right-hander, part of the reason would be financial relief from one of the team’s biggest long-term deals. That said, the team has engaged in conversations about the right-hander with other teams, discussing a variety of packages that might offer the framework for a potential deal.

For now, the source portrayed the Red Sox as being more likely to retain Beckett than to trade him, pegging the chances of a deal as less than 50 percent. There is considerable complexity related to a deal involving the pitcher, including: a) the player return for the pitcher; b) the amount of the remaining roughly $37 million on his deal that would be assumed by both teams in a deal; and c) Beckett’s right, as a player with 10 years of major league service and five with the same team, to veto a trade.

The source said that the Red Sox have not gotten to the stage in negotiations with other teams at which they would have asked Beckett about his willingness to waive his 10/5 right to veto a deal.

WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reported earlier on Monday that the Braves and Rangers are not in on the pitcher right now.

– The team is not discussing Jon Lester with other teams.

– The Sox continue to discuss a number of their players who are inexpensive, signed to short-term contracts or both. Teams have kicked the tires on such players as Cody Ross, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Kelly Shoppach, Mike Aviles, Ryan Sweeney and Daniel Nava, though again, nothing appears close to happening at this juncture.

– The Red Sox, according to one team source, continue to seek ways of adding at the trade deadline, though the team’s expectation is that any move between now and the deadline would be of a relatively modest sort rather than a blockbuster. Still, according to another team source, for now, no upgrade seems terribly imminent, and the team is focused chiefly on role players.