World Series MVP Hideki Matsui underwent a physical Tuesday, a day after reaching a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
The slugger, who last month became a free agent after seven years with the New York Yankees, must pass the physical to complete the deal reportedly worth about $6.5 million.
The 35-year-old Matsui, who has just concluded the last year of a four-year, $52 million contract with the Yankees, batted .274 with 28 homers and 90 RBIs in 142 games this year.
He drove in six runs in the decisive Game 6 of the World Series and had three home runs and eight RBIs in six games to become the first Japanese-born player to win the series MVP award.
Meanwhile, the New York Mets are close to signing reliever Ryota Igarashi to a two-year deal, the New York Times reported in its online edition Tuesday.
The 30-year-old right-hander filed for free agency last month after going 3-2 with three saves and a 3.19 ERA in 56 games in his 10th season with the Yakult Swallows.
He has a 47-29 career record with 54 saves and a 3.25 ERA in 507 games.
Igarashi is tied with Hideki Irabu and Kazuo Yamaguchi for the fastest pitch thrown by a Japanese pitcher in the domestic leagues, clocking 158 km per hour in 2004.