Once More, Henderson’s an Athletic : Baseball: Mercurial leadoff hitter returns home to Oakland only months after trade to Toronto.

Rickey Henderson and the Oakland Athletics are back together, again.

Henderson will return to his hometown A’s for the third time after agreeing Friday to a two-year contract believed to be worth more than $8 million. The free agent rejected an offer this week from the New York Yankees, another of his former teams.

Henderson, baseball’s career steal leader and considered the best leadoff hitter ever, started last season with Oakland. He was batting .327 when he was traded to Toronto on July 31, but he hit only .215 with the World Series champion Blue Jays.

“We are extremely happy that Rickey will be back with the Oakland A’s in 1994,” said General Manager Sandy Alderson, in a turnabout from his past criticism of Henderson for sulking over his salary.

“This was always a possibility from the moment Ricky was traded last July,” Alderson added in a statement. “He had an exceptional year for the A’s in 1993 and his overall production for Toronto was better than most people realize.”

Henderson, who was out of town, is expected to sign the contract in the next few days, Alderson said. Henderson, 35 on Dec. 25, has 1,095 stolen bases. He stole 53 bases last season with Oakland and Toronto and was caught only eight times.

He is a 10-time all-star with a career average of .287 and 220 home runs. Henderson has hit 63 leadoff homers, a major league record, including eight last season.

Henderson was raised in Oakland and began his major league career with the Athletics in 1979.

“We have a long history with Rickey and sometimes the best solution to a long list of disagreements is a trial separation,” Alderson said.

Oakland traded Henderson to the Yankees in December 1984. The Yankees traded him back midway through the 1989 season, and he helped the A’s win the World Series.

Henderson was the American League’s most valuable player in 1990. He was MVP of the American League playoffs in 1989.

The A’s sent Henderson to Toronto last July, only hours before the trading deadline for minor league outfielder Jose Herrera and pitcher Steve Karsay.