It appears the Boston Red Sox may be moving on from Jason Bay after all.
A tweet from Fanhouse’s Ed Price and later confirmed by Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com says that Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim free agent pitcher John Lackey took a physical in Boston on Monday and a deal could be imminent.
According to Rosenthal, the deal could similar in stature to what A.J. Burnett received from the New York Yankees last season. He also has a little tidbit towards the bottom of the article that the Red Sox are trying work on an extension with their ace, Josh Beckett.
Lackey has a career record of 102-71 with 3.81 ERA in eight seasons with the Angels. He was 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA in 27 starts in 2009. Against the Red Sox in his career, he is 3-7 with a 5.25 ERA in fourteen starts and is 2-5 with a 5.75 ERA in nine starts at Fenway Park.
If the Red Sox do sign Lackey, this provides an interesting scenario for the pitching staff.
They already have Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matuszaka, Tim Wakefield and Clay Buchholz penciled in for the 2010 rotation. Does this mean that Buchholz could be moved in a potential deal for someone?
I’m more curious now to see what Theo Epstein has up his sleeve if indeed Lackey signs with the Red Sox
Lackey’s a bulldog and definitely will fit in with this team nicely but don’t the Red Sox really need a bat to replace what Bay gave them in offense.
