Wells, Yankees Near Deal

David Wells is close to returning to the New York Yankees, spurning an offer from World Series champion Arizona.

Diamondback General Manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said that Wells’ agent, Gregg Clifton, told him that the pitcher had agreed to a deal with the Yankees. Just last week, Clifton said he was “85%” sure Wells would sign with the Diamondbacks.

“I think we were surprised,” Garagiola said Friday. “We felt that all that remained was for him to come out here and take a physical, which was to occur next week. But he went back to Tampa and apparently things changed.”

A lawyer familiar with the negotiations, speaking on condition he not be identified, told the Associated Press that Wells and the Yankees are still working on final details of the structure of the contract but are confident a deal will get done.

The deal would be for one or two years with at least $1 million guaranteed and hefty performance bonuses, the source said.

Yankee spokesman Rick Cerrone said the two sides were talking but no deal had been reached.