01:00 AM EST on Monday, March 20, 2006

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Juan Gonzalez, limited to one at-bat last season, agreed to a minor-league contract with the Boston Red Sox yesterday.

The Red Sox hope the 36-year-old, oft-injured outfielder can bounce back and show the form he displayed when he had three 140-RBI seasons.

Gonzalez was expected to join the Red Sox for tomorrow's home game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He has 434 homers, 1,404 RBI and a .295 batting average in 17 major league seasons.

Boston has few available roster spots, but the right-handed hitting Gonzalez could spell lefty-hitting Trot Nixon in right field.

First, Gonzalez must come back from a torn hamstring that ruined his 2005 season. He was injured on June 1 during his only at-bat with Cleveland. The Indians didn't offer him salary arbitration this winter.

Gonzalez spent his first 11 seasons with Texas and hit at least 39 homers six times. He moved to Detroit in 2000 and hit 22 homers with 67 RBI in 115 games.

He joined Cleveland in 2001, the year Manny Ramirez left the Indians for the Red Sox, and batted .325 with 35 homers and 140 RBI.

But in the next three seasons, two with Texas and one with Kansas City, Gonzalez played in just 185 games with 37 homers and 122 RBI.