NASHVILLE -- The Red Sox are close to checking off "outfield" from their offseason to-do list, or at least they will if Shane Victorino accepts the offer they made today.
A source with knowledge of the negotiations said the Sox have made a three-year offer to the former Phillies and Dodgers outfielder worth "a tick above" 38 million. The proposal is similar to the three-year, 39 million deal agreed to by Mike Napoli on Monday.
The Sox apparently view Victorino -- a three-time Gold Glove winner in center field -- as their primary right fielder, judging by comments made today by manager John Farrell.
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Fenway Park, said Farrell, is "probably the toughest right field in baseball to play, just in terms of space to cover. That range comes into play. And yet you try to combine the best range available with some offensive production. It might not be your prototypical right fielder where it's a power bat, because we do value the defense in that area. That's not to exclude anyone, but defense takes a high priority at that position at Fenway."
In addition to taking over in right field, Victorino, 32, would fill other needs for the Sox. A switch-hitter, he would provide a left-handed bat to a team that, with the recent additions of Napoli and Jonny Gomes, has begun to tilt right. He could serve as a backup to Jacoby Ellsbury. And, like Napoli and Gomes, he's regarded as a good character teammate, which would help re-energize a clubhouse that has curdled in recent years.
A lifetime .275 hitter, he slumped to .255 last season, when he was dealt in midseason from the Phils to the Dodgers. His career averages against right-handed pitching (.272 batting average.334 on-base percentage.427 slugging percentage.761 OPS) are slightly worse than they are against lefties (.282.357.437.794).