Boston Red Sox have reportedly signed free agent outfielder Carl Crawford to a seven-year, $142 million contract, which not only drastically improves their lineup and defense, but also puts an immense amount of pressure on the New York Yankees to lock up Cliff Lee.

Two days after trading for Padres slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Theo Epstein has nabbed the No. 2 player on the open market, meaning Brian Cashman must come away with the crown jewel in order to keep pace.

The Bombers have reportedly offered Lee a six-year, $140 million contract, but must now wait as the pitcher mulls over other offers from the Rangers, the Nationals and maybe other clubs.

The Yankees had been eyeing Crawford for some time now, but the need for another outfielder decreased slightly with Brett Gardner's impressive 2010 campaign and Curtis Granderson's strong finish to the season.

Still, Crawford, who has stolen 400 bases over the past eight season ...

Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - MLB By Jordan Schwartz