BOSTON (Reuters) - The Boston Red Sox have exercised their 2010 contract option on catcher Victor Martinez and declined options on shortstop Alex Gonzalez and catcher Jason Varitek, the team said on Monday.
Boston have also signed right-handed pitcher Tim Wakefield on a two-year contract, keeping the 43-year-old knuckleballer with the club for a 16th consecutive season.
Martinez, acquired shortly before Major League Baseball's trade deadline on July 31, had been widely expected to remain with the Red Sox after replacing Varitek as the starting catcher.
The switch-hitting 30-year-old, who can also play first base, hit .336 with eight home runs and 41 RBIs in 56 games for Boston last season after joining them from the Cleveland Indians.
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles, editing by Alison Wildey)
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