Angels, Justin Upton agree to $106 million, 5-year deal

ANAHEIM» Justin Upton and the Los Angeles Angels have decided to stick together.

The star outfielder is staying with the club that acquired him with one month left in the regular season, agreeing to a $106 million, five-year contract on Thursday that adds one season and $17.5 million in guaranteed money.

Upton was owed $88.5 million over the next four seasons as part of a $132.75 million, six-year deal he signed with the Detroit Tigers. The Angels acquired him on Aug. 31 for their playoff push, but Los Angeles finished 80-82 and missed the postseason.

Upton had the right to opt out of that deal for free agency shortly after the World Series, and he likely would have been one of the most coveted offensive players on the market.

“We felt good about how well we knew him,” Angels general manager Billy Eppler said. “Having him here for that month at the end of the season gave us a deeper look, and it gave him a deeper look at us. Both parties wanted to keep this union together, and we were able to do that.”

Upton had career-highs of 35 homers and 109 RBIs last season while batting .273 with a .901 OPS. He is also a Gold Glove finalist in left field.

Red Sox hire La Russa

BOSTON » Tony La Russa and Dave Dombrowski have been talking about working together again since meeting more than three decades ago.

That reunion will finally happen. The Red Sox hired La Russa to serve as a vice president and special assis- tant on its tions staff.

La Russa was a first-time manager and Dombrowski an energetic young executive with the White Sox when their careers first crossed paths in mid-1980s.

“He had more guts than brains is what I remember,” said La Russa, joking. baseball opera-