August 25, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Mets, Sox agree on Wagner deal
According to Boston.com's Tony Massarotti, the Red Sox have agreed to send two players to be named later to the New York Mets in exchange for 38-year-old reliever Billy Wagner, who has reportedly agreed to waive his no-trade clause. The hard-throwing lefthander has pitched in just 2 games so far this season for the Mets after returning from Tommy John surgery, striking out 4 and walking 1 in 2.0 hitless innings. In his fifteen-year major league career with Houston, Philadelphia and New York, Wagner has gone 39-37 with 385 saves in 767 appearances, striking out 1070 and walking 271 in 820.0 innings while posting a 2.39 ERA. Boston, which had claimed Wagner off waivers last week, will be responsible for the remainder of Wagner's salary this season, and will hold an $8 million team option to retain his services in 2010 that can be bought out for $1 million. The Red Sox could also decline the option and offer Wagner arbitration, which due to Wagner's Type A status would net the team two draft picks in 2010 should he choose to sign elsewhere.