The Red Sox and Mariners are close to an agreement that would send first baseman Casey Kotchman to the Mariners in exchange for a minor-league player to be named later, a major-league role player and cash, according to a major-league source. The deal is not yet finalized. News of the general agreement was first reported by ESPN.com.

Kotchman, who is eligible for salary arbitration after having earned $2.885 million in 2009, became expendable with the Sox’ acquisition of free-agent Adrian Beltre. Though the Sox had spent part of the offseason suggesting that the 26-year-old could be their starting first baseman, Beltre’s signing will allow the Sox to keep Kevin Youkilis at first base.

The cash component of the deal has significant implications for the Red Sox, since any cash transferred to them from another club is deducted from a team’s payroll as calculated for CBT purposes. Thus, in moving Kotchman and his 2010 contract (which will be of more than $3 million) and receiving the cash back, the Sox will save more than $5 million off their CBT payroll.

That, in turn, proved crucial for the Sox in providing the Sox with the payroll flexibility to reach an agreement with third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Kotchman, acquired by the Sox last year at the trade deadline in exchange for Adam LaRoche, hit .218 with a .284 OBP, .287 slugging and .572 OPS in 39 games with the Sox. He is a career .269/.337/.406/.742 hitter.

8 Comments for “UPDATED: Sox, Mariners Close to Deal on Kotchman”

1. Adam Says:
   January 5th, 2010 at 4:48 pm

   Maybe Lowell’s not going anywhere quite so soon … . Would love to see him stick with the team, lending down time to Youk, Beltre, and Ortiz.

2. peter Says:
   January 5th, 2010 at 5:20 pm

   actually the mets and sox are about to close a deal for second baseman

3. Rob Says:
   January 5th, 2010 at 5:28 pm

   Lowell for Castillo is not going to happen. The rangers have already said they will be happy to bring back the trade discussions later and the fact that they are looking for a veteran catcher right now makes it readily apparent that they still plan to send the sox Max Ramirez. The sox will use that to get Gonzo….and my money says they trade Ortiz to get that done.

4. Desmond Wasnaski Says:
   January 5th, 2010 at 6:15 pm

   Here they go again…spending like drunken sailors. I find it amazing that when the Yanks build on free agents sawx fans cry gluttony. I was blown away to read that the Yanks are cutting payroll to below 200mm. But more interesting…with the addition of Lackey, Scuttaro and the teams 7th Third baseman, the Sawx are blowing north of the 170mm lux tax threshold. No gluttony there folks…just playing by the rules. So, what say we end the bullflop hypocrisy and just admit that the sawx are just short of the alleged excesses of their pinstriped foes to the south. It’s fine…just stop acting like Theo and his haaavid buddies live on different plain than the fat boys from the bronx.

5. Desmond Wasnaski Says:
   January 5th, 2010 at 6:19 pm

   oops forgot. At least the yankee excesses of the 2008-9 offseason landed them exactly the players they wanted. They wanted the best and paid for the best. The sox are blowing out payroll by adding pieces from someone else’s playbook. What Bridge? at 170mm it’s more expensive then Sarah Palin’s “Bridge to nowhere”.

6. peter Says:
   January 5th, 2010 at 6:33 pm

   well duh the redsox are spending money they have to so they can compete with the yankees if the yankees didnt spend so much the sox wouldnt and besides the yanks spent 400 million or more last year so the sox still spent half as much as the yanks

7. Kevin S Says:
   January 5th, 2010 at 9:41 pm

   But Peter,
   The Sox still won’t be able to compete with the Yankees. Even being a life long Sox fan I can see that. They might have great starting pitching and an upgraded defense but with pop lacking in there bats they’ll be lucky to get secon place in the east this year. Maybe it’s a rebuilding year buying a bunch of mediocre talent to throw on the field. Not the Sox I have rooted for since I was a kid. Not a single basher in the bunch at this point.

8. peter Says:
   January 5th, 2010 at 10:35 pm

   idk what your saying theirs a lot of good players on the team that can hit i mean think about we have two players that can hit at least 25 homeruns
   then youk papi beltre can hit 100 RBI’S thats good i mean we were 3rd in RBI’S now im not saying the sox will be first but they will be wild card and this year the yanks and sox were tied in defeats with each other and the sox are way better now so i think they will

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