Lackey was in Boston yesterday for a physical, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. As of late yesterday afternoon, the Sox were still examining Lackey and the deal had not been completed, though it was expected to get done. The physical was first reported by AOL Fanhouse.
The 31-year-old righthander is second only in available players to Roy Halladay, who also appears to be on the move. Halladay was in Philadelphia yesterday for a physical as a precursor to a move that would send him from Toronto to the Phillies in a three-team deal that also involved the Mariners.
With the Blue Jays likely shedding their best pitcher, and the Yankees’ rotation lacking behind CC Sabathia, Burnett, and Andy Pettitte, that leaves the Sox positioned to match any rotation in baseball, certainly any in the AL East.
If the deal for Lackey gets completed, that would leave the Sox with Beckett, Lackey, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, and Buchholz. The Sox would not only have depth to counter an injury to Wakefield or the question marks regarding Matsuzaka, they would have a trio of aces.
Lackey is 102-71 over eight seasons, with a 3.81 ERA. He came in third in the 2007 Cy Young voting (behind Sabathia and Beckett), when he won 19 games. That’s his highest total, having no more than 14 wins in any other season. He went 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA in 2009. His postseason numbers are good, with a 3.12 ERA in 14 games (12 starts), though only a 3-4 record.
Over the last two seasons, though, Lackey made only 51 starts and threw only 339 2/3 innings because of injuries.
He does not have a particularly good record at Fenway (2-5, 5.75 ERA), but if the deal goes through he won’t have to face the team that tormented him at times.
Lackey has an emotional side, a desire to have the ball in the big moments. When Angels manager Mike Scioscia went to the mound to remove Lackey from Game 5 of the 2009 American League Championship Series, the pitcher yelled, “This is mine!’’ though he was taken out of the game. He wasn’t ready to leave the game, a personality trait that would play well in Boston.
