Relief pitcher Eric Gagne's fresh start includes a shift to the American League and potentially $11 million US in earnings.

The Montreal native and former Los Angeles Dodger reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday with the Texas Rangers on a one-year contract worth about $6 million US.

Eric Gagne saved 55 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2003.
(Rick Silva/Associated Press)

The deal, likely pending a physical, is expected to include approximately $5 million in appearance incentives, bringing the possible total to $11 million, major-league sources have told FOXSports.com.

Gagne, chosen the National League's top pitcher in 2003, has pitched only 16 games the past two seasons while undergoing two elbow operations and back surgery. He is expected to be ready by spring training in late February.

Last April, Gagne had surgery to remove a nerve from his pitching elbow — the same arm that required elbow-ligament replacement surgery in 1997. He then had season-ending surgery July 8 to repair a herniated disc in his lower back.

The Dodgers later declined Gagne's $12-million US option, making him a free agent.

Gagne's agent, Scott Boras, reportedly told interested clubs that his client would sign only with a team that intended to make him its closer. Texas apparently has explored the possibility of trading right-hander Akinori Otsuka — their closer last season — for young starting pitching.

If Gagne takes over as Rangers closer, Otsuka could move back into the eighth-inning setup role the Rangers planned for the right-hander when they got him in a trade from San Diego last off-season. Or Texas could move Gagne into that setup role.

Texas also is negotiating with free-agent starting pitcher Barry Zito who, like Gagne, is represented by Boras.

On Monday, outfielder Kenny Lofton reached a preliminary agreement with the Rangers on a one-year pact worth about $6 million.

Earlier this off-season, Texas signed former Blue Jays outfielder Frank Catalanotto (three years, $13.5 million) and re-signed right-hander Vicente Padilla (three years, $33.75 million).

With files from the Associated Press