Major League Baseball

D-backs, Ross agree on 3-year deal

Published Dec. 22, 2012 12:00 a.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

The Arizona Diamondbacks already had a surplus of outfielders. And now, they are on the verge of adding one more.

Cody Ross and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a $26 million, three-year contract Saturday that includes a club option for 2016.

''Could not be happier to be in the Dbacks family! Truly Blessed!'' Ross posted on his Twitter account.

The deal, first reported by the New York Daily News, is pending a physical and perhaps sets the stage for a trade of either left fielder Jason Kubel or right fielder Justin Upton.

Upton, owed $38.5 million over the next three seasons, remains of interest to the Texas Rangers, according to major-league sources. Kubel, signed for $7.5 million next season with a $7.5 million club option for 2014, could interest a number of clubs, incuding the Rangers.

Ross, who turns 32 on Sunday, can play either corner-outfield position. The Diamondbacks also have two other outfielders who figure to receive significant playing time, Gerardo Parra and center fielder Adam Eaton.

Ross, who throws left-handed and bats right-handed, was a fourth-round draft pick of Detroit out of Carlsbad, N.M., High School in 1999. He had brief major league stints with the Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati before becoming a full-time big leaguer with the Florida Marlins.

Ross was claimed by San Francisco off waivers in August 2010 and was MVP of that year's NL championship series, hitting .350 with three home runs and five RBI against Philadelphia. He also homered against Texas in the World Series and batted .294 (15 for 51) with five homers, five doubles and 10 RBI in 15 postseason games for the champion Giants.

He committed one error in each of the last two seasons.

Ross spent last season with the Boston Red Sox, batting .267 with an .807 OPS, 22 homers and 81 RBI.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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