Lackey Signs With Red Sox

Well, John Lackey will not be a New York Met after all.

For the past month since the season ended, rumors swirled that Angels right hander John Lackey would sign with the Mets, Yankees, Rangers, or re-sign with the Angels, but instead the Red Sox turned out to be the real player for him.

The Red Sox signed Lackey to a five year, $85 million deal, where he will make roughly $16 million per season.

Lackey returned from elbow inflimation to win 11 games for the Angels, pitching to a 3.83 ERA. Lackey is 102-71 in his career.

He will give the Red Sox a formidable rotation of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and Lackey, which will make things very difficult for the World Champion Yankees in the AL East.

Meanwhile, the Mets were left without ever offering, or negotiating with a pitcher, many thought the team should have pursued this off-season.