Mike Timlin, pitching in Game One of the World Series, explored other contract offers but decided to remain in Boston.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

Mike Timlin was limping along last season, but as the summer turned into fall, the veteran reliever for the Red Sox reached back and finished the year strong.

As a result of his late-season surge, Sox general manager Theo Epstein announced yesterday the team had signed Timlin to a one-year contract extension for a reported $3 million. The 41-year-old right-hander was 2-1 with a 3.42 ERA with one save in 50 appearances for Boston in his 16th major-league season, his fifth with the Red Sox.

He spent two stints on the disabled list with oblique and shoulder injuries last year. But when it counted the most, Timlin was ready. He posted a 3.17 ERA in six postseason appearances.

The biggest outing of his season came in Game Four of the World Series in Denver. The Red Sox held a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning when Timlin entered the game to relieve Manny Delcarmen with just one out in the inning. With a runner on and the potential tying run at the plate, Timlin struck out both batters he faced to preserve the lead. Boston eventually won, 4-3.

“I just got my strength back and was more consistent throwing strikes,” he said of his late-season rebirth. “That’s all it was from after August on.”

Timlin said during a brief conference call last night that he did receive “considerable offers” from other clubs and explored a few, but ultimately he decided Boston was where he wanted to stay.

“We didn’t push the envelope too much because, obviously, we wanted to come back to Boston,” he said. “We wanted to stay here and finish doing what we’ve been doing.”

When asked whether he ever imagined he would pitch 17 seasons in the majors, Timlin joked that his wife said the same thing recently.

“I don’t know how many I have left,” he said. “Honestly? No, I never really thought that I would be pitching this long. I know I’m closer to the end than I am the beginning, I’ll tell you that.”

A four-time World Series champion — two with the Blue Jays and two with the Sox —– Timlin last season became just the 13th pitcher in major-league history to work in 1,000 games. He reached the plateau Aug. 31 against the Orioles, and finished the season with 1,011. His spikes from that game against Baltimore are in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Because of the accomplishments he’s achieved in Boston, he wanted to re-sign with the Red Sox.

“We’re comfortable here,” he said. “If you’re comfortable playing somewhere and you’re having success, there’s not a whole lot of reasons to change.”

Now that Timlin knows he’s returning to Boston, he would like to see the Sox’ rotation upgraded just a bit.

The possibility of the club obtaining the services of two-time Cy Young winner, lefty Johan Santana from Minnesota, intrigues Timlin.

“That’s very interesting,” he said. “Johan is an awesome pitcher, an incredible talent. It would be good to see him on our team, and as much as I’ve seen him across the field, it would be great to watch him in the same uniform perform what he does. Having him would definitely make it a formable rotation with (Josh) Beckett, (Curt) Schilling, (Tim) Wakefield, Jon (Lester) [and Daisuke Matsuzaka]. I’m watching it intently. Every chance I get, I jump on the Internet and hopefully that will come to fruition.”

jmcdonal@projo.com