Pedroia, Sox close to $100m deal

BOSTON (AP) ― All-Star second baseman Dustin Pedroia is close to a contract that could keep him with the Boston Red Sox for his entire big league career.

A person with knowledge of the talks said Tuesday that Pedroia is in the process of agreeing to a deal adding $100 million over seven seasons through 2021.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet complete. The new deal was first reported by WEEI.

Pedroia is making $10 million this year and is guaranteed the same amount in 2014 as part of a $40.5 million, six-year contract that started in 2009. That deal includes an $11 million club option for 2015 with a $500,000 buyout.

The 5-foot-8, 165-pound sparkplug was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2007 and AL MVP in 2008.

It’s important to Pedroia to finish his career in Boston. The deal would expire after he turns 38.

“It’s not official or anything, but, yeah, this is my home,” he said before Tuesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. “I love being here. I love my teammates. I love the city. So if (the deal is finalized), I’ll be pretty excited.”

Pedroia is a big reason for Boston’s success. The Red Sox began play Tuesday with a half-game lead over the Rays in the AL East with a 60-41 record after winning just 69 games last season.

In 100 games through Monday, Pedroia was hitting .308 with six homers and 57 RBIs. He made only two errors and missed just one game.

A new contract “is not going to change who I am or my role with this team,” he said. “My job is to still go out there and try to help us win a game every day and I’ll try to do all I can to make that happen.”

The 29-year-old was a backup on the AL all-star team this season and entered the game after starter Robinson Cano was hit by a pitch. Cano can become a free agent after this season, his ninth with the New York Yankees.

Pedroia might have received a better deal than the one that’s close to agreement if he had become a free agent after the 2014 or 2015 seasons.

“I don’t look at it like that,” he said. “I want to be at a place where it’s special to me and this place has been that.”

And he doesn’t expect a rich contract to change the way his teammates look at him.

“They still have to look down at me. I’m pretty short,” Pedroia joked, “but it’s a good feeling.”