HOUSTON — John Franco agreed to a $700,000, one-year contract with the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Franco, 44, is the major league's all-time leader in saves by a left-hander. He was 2-7 with a 5.28 ERA with the New York Mets last season, his 154th year with the team. The Mets cut ties with Franco in December after declining to offer him arbitration.
Franco's 424 saves rank only behind Lee Smith's 478 on the career list.
The four-time All-Star also ranks second in all-time appearances with 1,088, trailing only Jesse Orosco. He is 90-86 with a 2.84 ERA in his 21-year career.
SANCHEZ, YANKS AGREE: The New York Yankees added a backup infielder, agreeing to a $600,000, one-year contract with Rey Sanchez.
Sanchez's deal is subject to the 14-year veteran passing a physical and the finalization of contract language.
This will be Sanchez's second stint with the Yankees, who acquired him from the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 16, 1997, for minor league right-hander Frisco Parotte. Sanchez hit .312 with one homer and 15 RBIs in 38 games for the Yankees that year.
He spent 2004 with Tampa Bay, hitting .246 with two homers and 26 RBIs. He had a $1 million base salary with the Devil Rays and earned an additional $430,000 in performance bonuses based on games played. His contract with the Yankees does not include any provisions for bonuses but it will be guaranteed.
DELGADO DECISION NEAR: Carlos Delgado is nearing a decision on where he'll sign, perhaps getting ready to make his pick as soon as today.
The agent for the free-agent first baseman, David Sloane, spoke Sunday with all four teams in contention: Baltimore, Florida, the New York Mets and Texas.
"Following these discussions, we now have a pretty clear picture of the landscape as it presently exists," Sloane said in an e-mail. "We anticipate talking further tomorrow and hope we'll be able to have a final decision very soon."
It was unclear who was the front-runner in the competition to sign Delgado, who has appeared to focus on the Marlins, the Mets and the Rangers in recent days.
The 32-year-old Delgado would be counted on to fortify the lineup of whichever team he selects. He hit .269 last season for Toronto with 32 homers and 99 RBIs.