Victorino Reportedly Going to Boston for $39 million

Former Los Angeles Dodger Shane Victorino is reportedly going to play right field for the Boston Red Sox. Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images.

By Rodney S. Yap

The Boston Red Sox is on a mission to sign Shane Victorino and sources are reporting the Maui-borned free-agent has agreed to play out field for the sum of $39 million over three years.

The news out of Nashville, Tenn., today, Dec. 4, where the baseball Winter Meetings are being held, has the former Los Angeles Dodger/Philadelphia Phillie as good as gone to the Red Sox for $13 million per season.

The deal is reportedly pending a physical, as Victorino, who turned 32 last Friday, is here for his annual charity golf tournament set for Thursday in Wailea.

Victorino hit a combined .255 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs last season for Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also stole a career-high 39 bases. The Dodgers got Victorino in a late July trade with the Phillies.

Victorino, a St. Anthony High School graduate, is a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner.

The Cleveland Indians also had been interested in signing Victorino this offseason.

Boston finished last in the AL East this season and is trying to boost its offense. On Monday, the Red Sox reached a $39 million, three-year contract with Mike Napoli. An All-Star catcher with Texas this season, he’ll mostly play first base next year.

The Red Sox plan is to have Victorino play right field in 2013. The team’s current center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is under contract with Boston for one more season. Victorino would be available to play center field if the team is unable to keep Ellsbury.

Boston’s offer to Victorino was first reported by The Boston Globe.

With Fenway Park’s cavernous right field, the Red Sox have always preferred a right fielder with center field skills.

Last week, Boston signed Jonny Gomes. With Victorino coming on board, that would likely rule out any chance of bringing free agent Cody Ross back. In 2012, Ross was one of the few bright spots for the Red Sox. He was seeking a deal worth roughly $25 million over three years.

A switch-hitter, Victorino is a career .275 hitter with 90 homers, 409 RBIs and 201 stolen bases in 1,076 career games.