BOSTON (AP) – The Red Sox and pitcher Josh Beckett settled their arbitration case Saturday, agreeing to a one-year contract for $4,325,000.

Beckett, acquired in a seven-player trade on Thanksgiving, made $2,425,000 last season when he went 15-8 with a 3.38 ERA for the Florida Marlins.

He filed for arbitration and asked for $4.9 million, while the Red Sox offered $3.75 million. He can become a free agent after the 2007 season.

The 25-year-old right-hander was the MVP of the 2003 World Series, when the Marlins beat the New York Yankees.

The Red Sox traded four prospects to Florida for Beckett, third baseman Mike Lowell and reliever Guillermo Mota.

Mota was later traded to the Cleveland Indians as part of a package that brought outfielder Coco Crisp to Boston. Crisp is the only Red Sox player still in arbitration.

AP-ES-02-04-06 2307EST