John Lackey's Rumored Deal With Boston: $85 Million, Five Years

Sources are telling Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman that the John Lackey deal with the Red Sox is for five years, and worth about $85 million. 

If Boston does indeed land Lackey as everyone seems to think they will, then expect the Yankees to back off their pursuit of Roy Halladay (besides the fact that he's rumored to be involved in a huge deal with the Phillies and Cliff Lee).

If the Red Sox ink Lackey it’s not likely they will remain in the hunt for Halladay, who has a year left on his contract and will be a free agent following the 2010 season.

While the Yankees would love to put Halladay in between CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett and move Andy Pettitte into the fourth starter’s role, Halladay not landing in Boston reduces the urgency to acquire Halladay to keep him away from the Red Sox. [...]

Now with Lackey close to joining a Red Sox rotation headed by Josh Beckett and Jon Lester and not being joined by Halladay, the Yankees may back off and let the Angels and Phillies fight for Halladay.