Reports: Kevin Youkilis unhappy at benching, will be traded "sooner rather than later"

Kevin Youkilis has been benched by Boston, but could be on a new team before long. (Winslow Townson, Getty Images) A trade for the so-called "Greek god of

Kevin Youkilis has been benched by Boston, but could be on a new team before long. (Winslow Townson, Getty Images)

A trade for the so-called "Greek god of walks" could happen well before the July 31 MLB trading deadline. According to multiple reports from the Boston Herald, Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis is on his way out of Beantown, with an inside source claiming such a trade could happen "sooner rather than later."

Youkilis has struggled so far in 2012, batting .225 with a .311 on-base percentage, down from his career averages of .286 and .388, respectively. The Red Sox have benched Youkilis for the past three games in favor of rookie Will Middlebrooks. According to another report from the Boston Herald, the benching decision hasn't sat well with Youkilis.

"There was no conversation. And I’ll leave it at that," Youkilis said. "I don’t want to start up anything. There was no conversation, that was it. It has been addressed. I’m just coming in here, getting my work done, if I need to pinch hit and play the game, I’ll come in and play."

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