Report: Roy Oswalt Nearing Deal With Cardinals

Roy Oswalt is nearing an agreement with the St. Louis Cardinals for 2012, but it's not a done deal just yet, according to MLB Network's Jim Duquette.

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The Cardinals are believed to have made an offer to the free-agent hurler worth around $5 million; the Red Sox and Astros have made similar offers.

The Cards already have five starting pitchers under contract, so it's unclear exactly how Oswalt fits into the defending champions' plans for next season. The Red Sox have an open spot in their rotation, as John Lackey will miss the 2012 season due to Tommy John surgery. The Astros, the team that drafted Oswalt in 1996 and brought him to the big leagues, have not been major players in the sweepstakes for the 34-year-old hurler until now.