NEW YORK (AP) -- Second baseman Luis Castillo decided to stay with the New York Mets, reaching a preliminary agreement Sunday night on a $25 million, four-year contract.
Castillo must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized, a person with knowledge of the talks said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team had not made an announcement.
The three-time All-Star hit .296 for the Mets with 10 steals and 20 RBIs for the Mets, who acquired him from Minnesota on July 30. He batted .304 with 18 RBIs for the Twins.
Castillo also won three Gold Gloves and provided steady defense up the middle with shortstop Jose Reyes despite playing on a sore knee that limited his speed. While Castillo struck out for the final out of the season and completed the Mets' collapse from a seven-game NL East lead, the 32-year-old infielder hit .316 in September.
Castillo's preliminary agreement came the same day that two-time Cy Young Award winner Tom Glavine decided to leave the Mets and return to the Atlanta Braves, his original team. Glavine, who lives in the Atlanta area, was given an $8 million, one-year contract by the Mets' NL East rival after turning down a $13 million option to stay with New York and receiving a $3 million buyout.
On a busy weekend, the Mets also broke off talks with free-agent catcher Yorvit Torrealba, who was set to replace Paul Lo Duca as the team's regular starter. The sides had reached a preliminary agreement last week on a $14.4 million, three-year contract that was subject to a physical.
Glavine's departure leaves the Mets searching for even more starting pitching in a market that is thin. Livan Hernandez, a free agent, is one possibility. If Minnesota can't re-sign Johan Santana, who can become a free agent after next season, the Mets are interested in trying to work out a trade for the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner.
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