Braves agree to deal with OF Jonny Gomes

ATLANTA (AP) The Atlanta Braves and outfielder Jonny Gomes agreed Thursday to a $4 million, one-year contract with a vesting option, a deal subject to a successful physical before it can be finalized.

Gomes, who played for Boston and Oakland in 2014, could be part of a left field platoon in a new-look outfield. He could share time with former Yankees prospect Zoilo Almonte, a switch-hitter who signed as a free agent.

Gomes, 34, hit only .234 with a career-low six homers for Boston and Oakland last year. He hit .276 with four homers against left-handers.

The Braves have almost completely recast their outfield by trading Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Evan Gattis in the offseason. The team signed former Baltimore right fielder Nick Markakis to a four-year deal.

B.J. Upton, who has been a major disappointment in centerfield, is the only returning starting outfielder.

Other options in the outfield will include Cuban signee Dion Toscano, Joey Terdoslavich, Todd Cunningham and Jose Constanza.

Gomes, who began his career with Tampa Bay, also played with Cincinnati and Washington before he was signed by Oakland as a free agent in 2012.

Gomes is a career .244 hitter with 144 homers. He had back-to-back 20-homer seasons with Tampa Bay in 2005-06 and hit 18 homers with a career-high 86 RBIs with the Reds in 2010. He hit .247 with 13 homers for the Red Sox in 2013.