Red Sox Close To One-Year Deal With Penny

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox are close to signing Brad Penny to a one-year deal.  The two sides are still hammering out the agreement, and Penny would have to pass a physical.  In November, the Dodgers chose Penny’s $2MM buyout over his $9.25MM club option.

Penny, 31 in May, dealt with shoulder and forearm pain all year.  The Red Sox have a sophisticated system for dealing with pitching shoulders, so it’s an interesting match.

Ian Browne of MLB.com expands on Rosenthal’s report. Browne notes that Penny in Boston would reunite him with fellow starter Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell, both of whom Penny played with as a Florida Marlin. The three were on the 2003 World Series-winning squad.