BOSTON — The Red Sox reached tentative agreements with pitcher John Lackey and outfielder Mike Cameron on Monday.
Lackey and the Red Sox agreed on a five- year contract worth $16 million to $17.5 million a season, according to The Associated Press.
Boston also reached an agreement on a two- year contract with Cameron for $7 million to $8 million annually, pending a physical.
The moves seem to indicate Boston has abandoned an attempt to re-sign slugging outfielder Jason Bay.
Lackey, a top pitcher on the free-agent market, was in Boston for a physical. Lackey has a 102-71 regular-season record with a 3.81 ERA in eight seasons, all with the Angels. At Fenway Park, he is 2-5 with a 5.75 ERA in nine starts.
Cameron, who turns 37 next month, batted .250 with 24 homers and 70 RBIs last season for Milwaukee. A three-time Gold Glove winner in center field, he could switch to left with Boston as a replacement for Bay. The Red Sox have speedy Jacoby Ellsbury in center.
The addition of Lackey might make pitcher Clay Buchholz more expendable in a deal for offense. The Red Sox have shown interest in first basemen Adrian Gonzalez of San Diego and Miguel Cabrera of Detroit, and could switch Kevin Youkilis to third base. Boston also could pursue free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, who spent the past five seasons with Seattle.
• The World Series champion Yankees will play the Red Sox in the major-league Sunday night opener April 4, a day earlier than originally scheduled. The game will be televised on ESPN2 nationally.
Matsui, Angels reach preliminary deal
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Hideki Matsui, the World Series MVP, and the Angels have reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract worth about $6.5 million.
Matsui surpassed 100 RBIs four times in seven seasons with the Yankees after coming over from Japan. He just completed a $52 million, four-year contract with New York.
Matsui hit .274 with 28 homers and 90 RBIs last season, then was selected World Series MVP despite starting only three of the six games against Philadelphia. He went 8-for-13 (.615) with three homers and eight RBIs, tying a Series record by driving in six runs in Game 6.
Footnotes.
Left-hander Randy Wolf finalized his $29.75 million, three-year contract with Milwaukee, which also re-signed infielder Craig Counsell to a $2.1 million deal. The Brewers also have a one-year agreement with reliever Claudio Vargas, a deal pending a physical.
• The Nationals and left-hander Scott Olsen agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract.
• Commissioner Bud Selig plans to establish a study group that will examine on-field issues that could include replay.
The Associated Press
