According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the Red Sox had initially asked Josh Beckett to include a medical contingency in the pitcher’s contract, with the team offering an increase in the financial terms in exchange for the clause.

Ultimately there was no such contingency put in place in the four-year, $68 million contract extension agreed on by Beckett and the Sox, with the physical examinations administered by both the team and the insurance company ending up being satisfactory enough for the team to secure protection via insurance if it decided to go that route.

“We have outstanding health reports. … All the testing now is better than it’s ever been. The commitment that we made today demonstrates that,” Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. “We kind of put our money where our mouth is. He’s a guy who is insurable. He’s someone who we count on to be as healthy as he’s been. And look at what he’s done for us. He’s been remarkably consistent. He’s thrown as many innings as anybody. There’s not a medical reason why that shouldn’t continue with the work that he’s put in to create a foundation for his success health-wise.”

The source also indicated that Beckett’s initial contract request exceeded that of the deal signed by Carlos Zambrano, who received a five-year, $91.5 million deal with a vesting option in 2013 that could pay the pitcher $19.5 million.