Red Sox Sign Pitcher Young for $6.3 Million

In a move to rebuild their pitching staff, the Boston Red Sox today signed 18-game loser Matt Young to a three-year contract for $6.35 million.

The Red Sox were hurt when 17-game winner Mike Boddicker signed with Kansas City and came to the meetings looking for pitching help.

With the signing of Young, Boston’s rotation now shapes up as Roger Clemens, Dana Kiecker, Young, Greg Harris and Tom Bolton. Kiecker, Harris and Bolton all had surprisingly successful seasons in helping the Red Sox win the AL East.

Young, 32, pitched for Seattle in 1990 and was 8-18 with a 3.51 earned-run average in 34 games. He is 51-78 lifetime with Seattle, Los Angeles and Oakland.

The Detroit Tigers were close to signing Young on Monday, but the Red Sox increased their offer late in the day.

“We like his arm and we needed a left-hander,” Boston General Manager Lou Gorman said. “We think most of his problems have been control.”

Young walked 107 batters in 225 1/3 innings last season and has walked 413 in 956 lifetime innings.

“I like his arm,” Boston Manager Joe Morgan said. “I saw a guy who might be able to turn things around this year.”

Young tied a major-league record last season when he struck out four Red Sox in one inning last Sept. 9. He had a two-hitter July 18 vs. Toronto, a three-hit shutout vs. Texas and a three-hitter Aug. 9 against New York.

“Everybody on our team says this is a tough guy to face,” Gorman said. “They never liked to see him come into Boston.”

In another free-agent acquisition, the Kansas City Royals today signed free agent reliever Dan Schatzeder to a one-year contract.

Schatzeder, 36, was 1-3 with Houston in 45 games last season before being traded to the New York Mets on Sept. 10. The left-hander appeared in six games for the Mets.

Schatzeder is 69-68 lifetime in 14 seasons with Montreal, Detroit, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Cleveland, Houston and the Mets. He spent part of his career as a starter.

The Royals came to the meetings looking for some help in the bullpen after Steve Farr signed with the New York Yankees.

The signings of Willie McGee, Terry Pendleton and Dennis Martinez on Monday have led to all sorts of other possibilities in the frenzied free agent market.

With some of the big names now on the dotted line, serious bids might be finalized soon for Bob Welch, Teddy Higuera, Zane Smith and George Bell.

McGee was the big winner on Monday when he signed a four-year deal for $13 million with the San Francisco Giants. (Story, C1.)