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Red Sox Sign Stephen Drew To One-Year Deal

BOSTON (CBS) -- Stephen Drew is once again a member of the Boston Red Sox.

Drew signed with the Red Sox on Tuesday. Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal first reported the news.

Drew, 31, has not played for any team this year, despite being healthy. That's because he rejected a qualifying offer from the Red Sox following last season's World Series victory, and no team has been willing to part with the first-round draft pick that would be the cost of signing the free agent.

Rosenthal reported that Drew agreed to a one-year deal with the Sox, and that the draft pick compensation rules will not apply to him when he becomes a free agent after the 2014 season.

CBS' Jon Heyman reported that the deal is worth a prorated value of that $14.1 million qualifying offer, which means Drew is set to make roughly $10 million.

Drew's addition comes at a time when the Sox are dealing with some inconsistencies in the lineup and in the field. Third baseman Will Middlebrooks is on the disabled list for the second time this season, and Xander Bogaerts has struggled defensively at shortstop. The re-signing of Drew would, theoretically, allow the Red Sox to move Bogaerts over to third base, where he played in the postseason after taking Middlebrooks' starting job.

Last year, Drew hit .253, and his .777 OPS ranked second among AL shortstops with at least 500 plate appearances. Drew's .984 fielding percentage was the best for a starting Red Sox shortstop since Alex Gonzalez's .985 mark in 2006.

His bat cooled off dramatically in the postseason, however, when he took an .080 average into Game 6 of the World Series. He homered and went 2-for-4 in that game to finish the postseason with a .111 average, .140 on-base percentage and .344 OPS.

98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger & Massarotti were on air as the news was breaking to give their reactions and analysis, including the ripple effect it has on on Xander Bogaerts, Will Middlebrooks and much more:

Red Sox Sign Stephen Drew

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