by Ken Rosenthal

Comment

Hampton has agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the chance to earn another $2 million in appearance-based incentives, according to a major-league source.

The deal, which was first reported by FOX 26 Sports in Houston, is contingent on Hampton passing a physical — no small consideration, given that Hampton pitched only 78 innings last season after missing all of 2006 and '07 due to injuries.

Hampton, 36, pitched for the Astros from 1994 to '99 and enjoyed his greatest success as a member of that franchise. In '99, he went 22-4 with a 2.90 ERA, finishing second in the National League Cy Young Award voting.

The Astros traded Hampton to the Mets after that season. Hampton spent two years in New York, then signed an eight-year, $121 million free-agent contract with the Rockies. He eventually was traded to the Braves.

Hampton missed the first four months of last season with Atlanta, then went 3-4 with a 4.85 ERA, demonstrating that he was healthy enough to warrant a new deal.