[UPDATE, 12:57 p.m.] FoxSports' Ken Rosenthal confirms the report, saying a deal could be coming next:
The deal is expected to be similar to the five-year, $82.5 million contract that the Yankees awarded free-agent right-hander A.J. Burnett last winter.
If the Sox sign Lackey for what Burnett signed for, that's a deal. Lackey should be a better pitcher than Burnett over the same years.
-----
Former Angels ace John Lackey is reportedly going to take a physical for the Red Sox, according to FanHouse's Ed Price:
Source: Free-agent P John Lackey to take physical with #RedSox. Bos apparently moving on to 2nd choice after Jason Bay. Working to confirm.
Nothing has been confirmed 100 percent yet, but if this is true and if the Sox do sign Lackey, there seems to be that another move would be in the works because of the logjam in the starting rotation. With Lackey, the Sox would have Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Lackey, Clay Buchholz, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield. Would Buchholz be on the go?