BOSTON (AP) – The Boston Red Sox’ on-and-off pursuit of second baseman Pokey Reese is gaining momentum.

“We’re close,” Reese’s agent, Michael Nicotera, said Thursday. “There’s nothing to announce. We might have something some time next week.”

Boston had no announcement regarding Reese, team spokesman Kevin Shea said.

The Red Sox had obtained Reese from Colorado on Dec. 19, 2001, but let him become a free agent two days later when they didn’t offer arbitration. They preferred to sign him to a multi-year contract, but he signed instead with Pittsburgh on Jan. 30, 2002.

Nicotera made his comment in New York where the Mets finalized a three-year deal with center fielder Mike Cameron, one of his clients.

Reese was sidelined by a torn thumb ligament last season and hit .215 in 37 games, but had at least 421 at bats in each of his previous four seasons, three of them with Cincinnati.

He became a free agent when the Pirates didn’t offer him arbitration by the Dec. 7 deadline.

Boston is seeking a replacement for second baseman Todd Walker, who became a free agent when he wasn’t offered arbitration. He hit .283 with a team single-season record of five playoff homers in his only season with the Red Sox.

Reese would be a defensive upgrade, having won Gold Gloves with Cincinnati in 1999 and 2000, and stole 38 bases with the Reds in 1999. He also would be Boston’s fourth regular second baseman in four years, following Jose Offerman, Rey Sanchez and Walker.

On Tuesday, the Red Sox signed Mark Bellhorn, Colorado’s second baseman last year. But he’s more likely to end up as a utility infielder and outfielder.

Damian Jackson was Walker’s backup and Boston’s utility player last season but may not be offered a contract by the midnight Saturday deadline for unsigned players on 40-man rosters.

Reese was traded from Cincinnati to Colorado on Dec. 18, 2001, then sent to Boston for catcher-first baseman Scott Hatteberg the next day.

Reese’s average jumped from .224 with Cincinnati in 2001 to .264 with the Pirates in 2002. He had a two-year, $5 million contract, but the Pirates declined to exercise their $5,125,000 option for 2004, giving him a $750,000 buyout.