Theo Esptein has taken another swing at filling the shortstop position for the Red Sox, signing free agent Marco Scutaro to a 2-year deal.
News came from Venezuelan paper Lider first, over an hour before other sources confirmed the move.
A type-A free agent, Scutaro's signing will require a draft pick compensation, though if the Sox sign a higher-ranked free agent such as Matt Holliday, the Jays will only receive a second round pick from the Sox instead of a first.
Scutaro is coming off a career year during which he posted a line of .282/.379/.409 while playing above average defense according to UZR.
For the Red Sox, Scutaro provides hope for some consistency at shortstop. Since the departure of Nomar Garciaparra and Orlando Cabrera, the Sox have struggled to find a replacement, with disappointing performances from Edgar Renteria and Julio Lugo. Alex Gonzalez played solid defense in 2006, and again in the last half of 2009, but was a significant hole in the lineup.
The deal is expected to be announced tommorow (Friday), likely with a mutual option for a third year.