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The Boston Red Sox have signed first baseman Lyle Overbay to a minor league contract, according to Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald.
Source: 1B Lyle Overbay has nonroster invite to spring training with #RedSox.
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) January 31, 2013
Overbay can opt-out of minor league deal with #RedSox if he isn't on major league roster by end of spring training
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) January 31, 2013
Overbay's new deal with the Red Sox includes an invitation to major league spring training. The veteran slugger can opt out of his minor league contract if he isn't on the Red Sox major league roster by the end of the spring, according to Lauber.
Overbay spent the 2012 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves. Over a combined 116 at-bats, the 36-year-old hit .259/.331/.397 with 10 doubles and two home runs.
Related: Can the Red Sox fit another left-handed bench bat?
Overbay has hit .270/.353/.438 over parts of 12 seasons at the major league level. He hit .312/.372/.508 with 46 doubles and 22 home runs for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2006, and averaged a line of .259/.352/.437 with the club from 2008-10.
The Red Sox had been in the market for a left-handed-hitting first baseman to share time with Mike Napoli, and Overbay fits the bill. The veteran has hit .275/.368/.453 over his career against right-handed pitching.
