By Fitzgerald Cecilio

Boston, MA

The Boston Red Sox have given David Ortiz a two-year deal worth $26 million but the veteran designated hitter could earn as much as $30 million including incentives.

A source said the two sides reached agreement Friday night after negotiations that started late in the season, fulfilling Ortiz's desire to retire with the Red Sox.

Earlier, Boston extended a $13.3 million qualifying offer to Ortiz prior to Friday's deadline so that they would be eligible for draft-pick compensation if the slugger ended up signing with another team.

Aside from Ortiz, Boston did not give qualifying offers to outfielders Scott Podsednik and Cody Ross, right-handers Aaron Cook, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Vicente Padilla, and first baseman James Loney.

An eight-time All-Star who turns 37 on Nov. 18, Ortiz was having a productive 2012 before he suffered a right Achilles strain in July.

The injury limited Ortiz to only one more game the rest of the season and he finished with a .318 average, 23 home runs and 60 RBIs in 90 games.

After spending six seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Ortiz arrived in Boston in 2003 and became one of the best DH in the game, tallying a .290 career average with the Red Sox, including 343 homers and 1,088 RBIs.

He played a key role in the team's two World Series championships in 2004 and 2007.

 

 

 

Red Sox Sign Slugger David Ortiz to Two-Year, $26-Million Deal