The Red Sox reportedly made a contract offer to Roy Oswalt this week, but the right-hander could be taking his talents elsewhere.
Oswalt is nearing a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, according to ESPN.com's Gordon Edes. A major league source reportedly stated that a deal could get done "soon," although Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak insists that the report is just rumors, and nothing more.
CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that Oswalt turned down a one-year deal worth around $10 million from the Detroit Tigers. Heyman mentioned the Rangers as a team that Oswalt was eyeing, but FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that Texas hasn't offered the 34-year-old a contract.
Oswalt is coming off an injury-plagued campaign in which he went 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA in 23 starts for the Phillies. The three-time All-Star has won 20 games twice in his career, and has finished in the top five for Cy Young voting on five separate occasions.
The righty is 159-93 with a 3.21 ERA in 339 games (326 starts) over the course of 11 big-league seasons.