According to Peter Gammons of the MLB Network via Twitter, the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre have reached a preliminary agreement on a 1 year, $9 million deal with a player option for $5 million in 2011.
Gammons states that Beltre will take a physical before the deal is formally announced.
Obviously the Red Sox will now try to move their current third baseman Mike Lowell, who is recovering from thumb surgery, during spring training once he’s healthy. He is expected to be ready around the start of spring training.
Beltre put up a career year in 2004 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. That year he hit .324 with 48 home runs and 121 RBIs with seven stolen bases. That season landed him a 5 year, $64 million deal with the Mariners.
His best season in Seattle came in 2007 when he hit .267 with 26 home runs, 99 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. He hit .265 with 8 home runs, 44 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 2009.
He also won two Gold Gloves at third base with the Mariners in 2008 and 2009.
In 16 career games at Fenway Park, Beltre is hitting .179 with no home runs and four RBIS.
Remember folks, the Red Sox will probably have to eat at least $9 million of Lowell’s salary so the third base position will probably cost them $18 million in 2010.
