The slugger will receive between $26 million and $30 million,
Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz will become a free agent at midnight Friday if a deal is not struck.Hours before he was to become a free agent, David Ortiz has agreed to a two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, according to a report from ESPNBoston.
The deal is reportedly for around $26 million. Incentives could increase it to around $30 million. Ortiz would have become a free agent at midnight Friday, and at least one team, the Texas Rangers, were interested in him.
If those numbers are accurate, they would mean Ortiz' demands were essentially met. He had been seeking $25 million to $30 million over two years.
The length has not been a source of dispute, but the salary level produced disagreement during negotiations.
Earlier Friday, the Red Sox offered Ortiz a one-year contract that he was sure to reject.
The $13.3 million offer was filed to qualify the Red Sox for a draft pick as compensation if Ortiz signed with another team.
Ortiz hit 23 home runs with 60 RBIs in 90 games last season, but missed all but one of the final 72 games with an Achilles strain. He has said he will be healthy by spring training.
He played the 2012 season on a one-year, $14.575 million contract.
Ortiz was the only one of the six Red Sox free-agents-to-be who was tendered a qualifying offer. The club would like to retain Cody Ross, but is resigned that he will sample free agency.
The other free agents are Vicente Padilla, James Loney, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Scott Podsednik.
Texas' interest in Ortiz surfaced Friday and may have given the slugger more leverage in negotiations. Last year, Ortiz attracted modest interest from Baltimore and Toronto before signing again with Boston.
Texas was a more significant, credible option. The Rangers have become an elite franchise, with World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.
They have emerged as one of the game's most willing spenders, a role that comes as the Red Sox (and to some degree, the New York Yankees) are peeling back payroll.
Ortiz maintained throughout the negotiations that his desire was to return to Boston, where he says he wants to finish his career. He will be nearly 39 when the new contract expires.
The Rangers' interest was a signal they are prepared to lose slugging outfielder Josh Hamilton to free agency, and need a power source to take his place.