FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Boston Red Sox are on the verge of a reunion with free-agent utilityman Eduardo Nunez.
The Sox reached an agreement Thursday night to re-sign Nunez, a source told ESPN's Buster Olney. The deal would be for one year with an option for 2019, according to a source. But it also is pending the passage of a physical -- hardly a formality, given the way Nunez finished last season. FanRag Sports first reported the deal with Nunez.
The final image of Nunez in 2017 was him getting carried off the field after reinjuring his right knee in Game 1 of the division series against the Houston Astros. Nunez missed most of September with a sprained posterior cruciate ligament.
Although Nunez didn't need surgery in the offseason, he also was still rehabbing as of mid-December. The Red Sox nevertheless expressed interest in bringing Nunez back and remained in contact with his agents at ISE Baseball.
Nunez, 30, joined the Red Sox after a July trade with the San Francisco Giants and made an immediate impact. A righty-hitting utility infielder, he filled in for injured second baseman Dustin Pedroia and slashed .321/.353/.539 with eight homers in 165 at-bats for Boston.
Within the industry, the presumption was that Nunez was seeking an opportunity to play every day. That won't necessarily exist with the Red Sox, although Nunez's priorities might have changed during a historically sluggish offseason for free-agent signings.
Nunez's value stems from his versatility in the infield, although he is regarded as a below-average defender at every position. By re-signing Nunez, the Red Sox would add insurance for Pedroia, who underwent extensive knee surgery in October and almost certainly won't be ready for Opening Day.
Once Pedroia returns, Nunez could move around the field, filling in at multiple positions and perhaps even getting at-bats as a designated hitter.
The Red Sox continue to seek a middle-of-the-order power bat and have made a five-year offer reportedly worth between $100 million and $125 million to free-agent slugger J.D. Martinez. It's doubtful that Nunez's return would preclude the Red Sox from still reaching a deal with Martinez.