NEW YORK (AP) – Pedro Feliciano is moving across town from the New York Mets to the Yankees.

The durable left-hander reached a preliminary agreement on an $8 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract, which includes a $4.5 million club option for 2013, is subject to Feliciano passing a physical.

The Yankees sought an additional lefty reliever to join Boone Logan in the bullpen, especially after the Boston Red Sox added left-handed-hitting Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford to a lineup that already included lefties David Ortiz, J.D. Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Feliciano had spent part of eight seasons in the major leagues, all with the Mets. He led the major leagues in games pitched with 86 in 2008, 88 in 2009 and a career-high 92 last season. He faced 280 batters this year, an average of just over three per appearance, and held left-handed batters to a .211 average.

The last left-handed batter to homer off him was Garrett Jones, who connected for Pittsburgh on July 2, 2009.
Damaso Marte, another lefty in the Yankees bullpen, had shoulder surgery Oct. 22 and said he won’t begin throwing until after the All-Star break.

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