NEW YORK — Baseball players and owners reached a tentative verbal agreement on a five-year labor contract and hope to have a signed deal by next week.
The sides hope to sign a memorandum of understanding in time to announce the agreement Monday or Tuesday. The last item to fall in place was the luxury tax on high payroll teams.
The agreement, the first for the union since Michael Weiner succeeded Donald Fehr as the labor chief last year, would replace the deal expiring Dec. 11 and would give baseball 21 years of labor peace since the 1994-95 strike.
Footnotes.
Former major- league manager Bobby Valentine said he has spoken to Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington and would “be honored” to talk more about the team’s vacant managerial position.
• The Twins and catcher Ryan Doumit agreed a one- year, $3 million contract.
