The Boston Red Sox exercised their $7.7 million option on Victor Martinez, and declined options on Jason Varitek and Alex Gonzalez yesterday.

Boston also agreed to a $5 million, two-year contract with 43-year-old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, replacing a perpetual $4 million annual club option.

The moves on the options were expected after Boston obtained Martinez from the Cleveland Indians on July 31 and he replaced Varitek as the starting catcher. The club option for Varitek was worth $5 million, but he can stay with the team if he exercises his $3 million player option.

The Red Sox also could try to keep Gonzalez at shortstop for less than the $6 million option. He receives a $500,000 buyout.

Martinez and Gonzalez played well for the Red Sox while Varitek struggled offensively for the second straight season. Wakefield was sidelined most of the second half with a back injury after making the All-Star team for the first time.

Martinez made the AL All-Star team for the third time and finished with a .303 batting average, 23 homers and 108 RBIs in 155 games as a catcher, first baseman and designated hitter. For Boston, he batted .336 with eight homers and 41 RBIs in 56 games.

YANKEES

MATSUI, DAMON FILE FOR FREE AGENCY

World Series MVP Hideki Matsui became a free agent yesterday along with New York Yankees teammates Johnny Damon, Eric Hinske, Jose Molina and Xavier Nady.

Matsui and Damon both said after the Yankees' six-game victory over Philadelphia last week that they would like to stay with New York. The Yankees said it was too early to address how they want to formulate their team for 2010.

Phillies third baseman Pedro Feliz also filed yesterday, as did teammates Matt Stairs, Chan Ho Park and Paul Bako.

Also among the 31 players filing were Minnesota shortstop Orlando Cabrera, Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield and Colorado pitcher Jose Contreras.

ELSEWHERE

Dodgers: Joe Torre's entire coaching staff will be back with Los Angeles next season.

Third base coach Larry Bowa, first base coach Mariano Duncan, pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, hitting coach Don Mattingly, bench coach Bob Schaefer, bullpen coach Ken Howell, coach Manny Mota and instructor Jeff Pentland will return in 2010.

Also, Los Angeles has declined a $2.2 million club option on pitcher Will Ohman for next season. The left-hander gets a $200,000 buyout and filed for free agency yesterday.

Rays: Tampa Bay has exercised its $10 million option on All-Star Carl Crawford.

The 28-year-old Crawford is the franchise's career leader in hits, runs, steals, triples, RBIs and games.

He hit .305 with 15 homers, 68 RBIs and a career-high 60 steals this year.