BOSTON – Julian Tavarez and the Red Sox reached a preliminary agreement Wednesday on a $6.7 million, two-year contract as Boston added another newcomer to its rebuilt bullpen.

The reliever must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized, a person familiar with the negotiations said, speaking on condition of anonymity because Boston has not yet announced the agreement. The physical is likely to take place Thursday.

Tavarez, a 32-year-old right-hander, gets a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $3.1 million in each of the next two seasons. The agreement also includes a club option for 2008 of $3.85 million. That option would become guaranteed if Tavarez appears in a total of 125 games in the next two seasons or 65 games in 2007.

His decision to sign with Boston was first reported by FOXSports.com

The Red Sox also agreed with infielder Tony Graffanino on a $2.05 million, one-year contract that avoids a salary arbitration hearing. He hit .319 as their starting second baseman after being acquired from Kansas City last July 19 and is expected to compete for a utility position after Boston acquired Mark Loretta to start at second base from San Diego for backup catcher Doug Mirabelli.

Since finishing last season with an AL-high 5.17 bullpen ERA, the Red Sox have added two other right-handed relievers. They picked up Guillermo Mota in a trade that also brought pitcher Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell from Florida and signed free agent Rudy Seanez, who spent last season with San Diego.

Boston still has right-hander Mike Timlin, who had an outstanding 2005 season out of the bullpen. The team has said Keith Foulke, who struggled last season when he was hampered by injuries and had knee surgery in July, will start spring training in his usual closer’s role.

Tavarez, who had been with seven teams since reaching the majors in 1993 with Cleveland, gave up a key home run to Boston’s Mark Bellhorn in the opener of the 2004 World Series. The two-run shot off the right-field foul pole broke a 9-9 tie in the eighth inning and gave Boston an 11-9 win against St. Louis. The Red Sox swept the Series in four games.

The Cardinals player who made the last out of that World Series, shortstop Edgar Renteria, signed a four-year contract with Boston in December 2004 but was traded to Atlanta for third baseman Andy Marte last month.

Tavarez, has a 72-55 record, 4.33 ERA and 21 saves in 642 appearances. Last season he went 2-3 with a 3.43 ERA and four saves in 74 games.

In one stretch, he spent six consecutive seasons with six different teams. After four years with Cleveland and three with San Francisco, he spent one each with Colorado, the Chicago Cubs, Florida and Pittsburgh before joining St. Louis in 2003 when he went 7-4 with a 2.38 ERA and four saves in 77 games.

Two members of Boston’s bullpen last season have signed with New York teams, righty Chad Bradford with the Mets and lefty Mike Myers with the Yankees.

—

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report