The Boston Red Sox today signed right-handed pitcher John Lackey to a five-year contract through the 2014 season. No further terms were disclosed.
The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.
Lackey, 31, went 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA (75 ER/176.1 IP) in 27 starts for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim last season. He fanned 139 and walked 47 in 176.1 innings. The right-hander began the year on the disabled list with a strained right forearm. He appeared in two rehab starts for Triple-A Salt Lake, going 0-1 with a 2.79 ERA (3 ER/9.2 IP), before making his season debut on May 16.
He finished third among American League qualifiers with a 2.11 ERA (14 ER/59.2 IP) in day games last season and 10th with a 3.80 ERA (38 ER/90.0 IP) on the road. Including three postseason starts, Lackey went 9-5 with a 2.91 ERA (42 ER/130.0 IP) over his final 19 outings and logged a complete game, five-hit shutout vs. Seattle on September 10.
He joins Mark Buehrle as the only AL hurlers with 10 or more victories each season since 2003 and ranks among league leaders during that time in starts (2nd, 215), shutouts (T-2nd, 8), innings (3rd, 1,392.2), strikeouts (3rd, 1,132), wins (4th, 93) and complete games (5th, 13). Lackey is fourth in the AL since 2005 (minimum 700 IP) with a 3.49 ERA (384 ER/990.1 IP) behind only Roy Halladay (3.01), Felix Hernandez (3.45) and CC Sabathia (3.49).
Originally selected by the Angels in the second round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Lackey is 102-71 with a 3.81 ERA (636 ER/1,501.0 IP) in 234 career Major League games (233 starts). He is tied for fourth in Angels history in wins and ranks fifth with 1,201 strikeouts. In 2007, he earned an All-Star selection and finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting after a career-high 19 victories and a league-best a 3.01 ERA (75 ER/224.0 IP).
Lackey is 3-4 with a 3.12 ERA (27 ER/78.0 IP) in 14 career postseason contests (12 starts) and tossed 7.1 scoreless frames to beat the Red Sox in Game 1 of last year’s ALDS. As a rookie he helped the Angels win the 2002 World Series, going 2-0 with a 2.42 ERA (6 ER/22.1 IP) in five playoff appearances (three starts), including a Game 7 victory over the San Francisco Giants on three days rest.
Boston’s 40-man roster is now at 39.
--- RED SOX COMMUNICATIONS---
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