Source: Johnny Damon, Tigers agree
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Johnny Damon has agreed to a one-year, $8 million deal with the Detroit Tigers, pending a physical, a league source told ESPN's Karl Ravech.
Damon is expected to take the physical on Sunday.
Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski confirmed the offer in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Friday after telling reporters in Lakeland, Fla., that the Tigers were interested in signing the outfielder.
Johnny Damon#18 LF
New York Yankees
2009 STATS
- GM143
- HR24
- RBI82
- R107
- OBP.365
- AVG.282
The 36-year-old Damon hit .286 with 24 homers for the New York Yankees last season. He likely would bat leadoff for the Tigers, filling the void left when Detroit dealt Curtis Granderson to the Yankees.
Damon also gives Detroit a left-handed bat it needs and a veteran in the outfield, where his savvy is an asset and his arm a liability.
Among the other teams who had expressed serious interest in Damon were the White Sox, Rays and Braves. The White Sox had withdrawn their offer on Friday, a decision first reported by ESPNChicago.com.
Damon helped the Yankees win the World Series for the first time since 2000, hitting .282 with 23 homers and 82 RBIs, but he was coming off a $52 million, four-year contract.
While he initially wanted a long-term deal at the same average salary, New York valued the 36-year-old at far less. The Yankees kept reducing their offer, claiming payroll constraints.
They now have no place for Damon after acquiring Granderson, signing free agent outfielders Randy Winn and Marcus Thames and signing designated hitter Nick Johnson to become their No. 2 hitter.
Karl Ravech is a baseball analyst for ESPN. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.