The Red Sox and the tall righty are likely to get a deal done as soon as this preseason, the hurler's last year under contract with the local nine, Heyman reports in Saturday's Daily Scoop column. The writer also believes that the deal won't be just a few years, as the veteran is looking for a longer contract than what the team signed fellow starter John Lackey to this offseason.
"The Red Sox and Josh Beckett are continuing to make progress in negotiations, though the team is thought to want to replicate the John Lackey $82.5-million, five-year deal while Beckett is looking for a slightly longer term deal," Heyman wrote. "Baseball sources still believe this will get done, though it may take a few more weeks."
In four seasons with the Red Sox, Beckett is 65-34 with a 4.05 ERA. Last summer he notched 17 wins, the second-highest wins total of his nine-year career behind 2007's 20-win campaign.
