It appears Pedro Martinez has pitched his final game in a Red Sox uniform.
Three major league sources confirmed to the Boston Globe that Martinez and the New York Mets agreed to terms on a four-year, $50 million deal this afternoon. The contract is pending Martinez passing a physical.
The Red Sox resigned themselves today to losing the three-time Cy Young Award winner.
“He was a great member of the Red Sox team for seven years, and a certain Hall of Famer,” Red Sox president Larry Lucchino told The Associated Press in an e-mail. “He will be missed, and we are disappointed to have lost him to the Mets and the National League.”
Martinez’s agent, Fernando Cuza, told the Mets he would attempt to work out a deal with them after New York guaranteed a fourth year, a person involved in the talks said on condition of anonymity.
Hard to say how Omar Minaya’s desperate stab at credibility will look in 4 years’ time when Pedro is pushing 38 and might struggle to complete 5 good innings even more than Al Leiter did last year. For now, however, Martinez is a huge addition to a staff that should feature Glavine, Benson, Trachsel and Zambrano to follow. If Minaya can find a few players who can hit and catch the ball, the Mets might manage to win 80 games with their $100 million payroll.