The Boston Red Sox have agreed to a deal in principle to acquire slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Saturday morning.
The Red Sox have received permission from Major League Baseball to negotiate with Gonzalez on a new contract, the sources said, and Gonzalez's physical examination, one of the last hurdles to the deal, could happen Saturday. The team already has flown in Gonzalez, who had offseason surgery on his right, non-throwing shoulder to clean up the labrum.
Gonzalez
In exchange, the Padres would receive three prospects in pitcher Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and outfielder Reymond Fuentes, a baseball source told ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes.
Sources told Olney it's very possible the Gonzalez deal would mean the end of Adrian Beltre's time with the Red Sox, because although Kevin Youkilis could move to left field, Boston's preference probably would be to shift Youkilis to third base.
Gonzalez is the Padres' most popular player with great crossover appeal to the team's Mexican-American market, a native son who carried San Diego to within a game of a playoff spot in 2010.
He is signed through 2011 at $6.3 million. The Padres exercised his 2011 option Nov. 1. His contract called for a $5.5 million salary, but performance bonuses pushed the figure above $6 million.
Acquiring Gonzalez, while signing one of two free-agent outfielders, Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth, would give the Red Sox their most potent offensive lineup since the Manny Ramirez trade to the Dodgers in 2008 and make clear why they were willing to lose free agents Victor Martinez and potentially Beltre.
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Kelly, 21, is considered the top prospect in the Red Sox organization by Baseball America, though he struggled a bit in his first season at Double-A in 2010. He was 3-5 with a 5.31 ERA in 21 starts for the Portland Sea Dogs, and had a 6.75 ERA in four starts in the Arizona Fall League recently.
Rizzo, also 21, had 20 homers and 80 RBIs with the Sea Dogs this past season and had an .815 OPS. He was ranked the No. 3 Red Sox prospect by Baseball America.
The 19-year-old Fuentes was Boston's top pick in the 2009 draft. He hit .270 with 59 runs scored and 42 stolen bases in 104 games for Class A Greenville last season. He's ranked the No. 6 Red Sox prospect by Baseball America.
The Red Sox have long coveted the 28-year-old Gonzalez. As far back as the 2009 trading deadline, the Red Sox made a pitch for Gonzalez, a three-time All-Star who last season finished fourth in balloting for the National League's Most Valuable Player.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound left-handed hitter batted .298 with 31 home runs and 101 RBIs for the Padres last season. He finished fifth in the National League in on-base percentage (.393), ninth in slugging (.511) and led the league in hitting with runners in scoring position (.407).
Opposing pitchers issued 35 intentional walks to Gonzalez last season, a number exceeded only by Albert Pujols.
In addition to his offensive prowess, Gonzalez is a gifted defender, having won two Gold Gloves in five full seasons.
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