by Ken Rosenthal

Penny, who would be in the Red Sox's starting rotation, will have to take a physical and the two sides are still working out the language of the contract.

Penny, 29, struggled last season with the Dodgers, going 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA in 17 starts and two relief appearances. He was shut down in September and placed on the 60-day disabled list with a sore right shoulder.

Penny posted a career year in 2007 by throwing 208 innings with 16 wins and a career-low 3.03 ERA.

The move would give the Red Sox the ability to keep Justin Masterson in the bullpen and be patient with Clay Buchholz.

Adding Penny would be Boston's first big move of the offseason after it lost out on slugger Mark Teixeira earlier this month. Penny would join an already formidable rotation that includes Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield.