UPDATE: Alex Speier of WEEI.com says it’s a done deal. Boston has agreed to a three-year contract with Victorino.

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Just a few hours after Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com called the Indians “a prime suitor” for Shane Victorino, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox are “frontrunners” for Victorino by making him a three-year, $38 million offer.

I suppose one team being the frontrunner doesn’t preclude another team from being “a” prime suitor, but whatever the case it now seems clear that Victorino is going to get a big multi-year contract at age 31 and coming off a season in which he hit just .255 with a .704 OPS.

Of course, Angel Pagan is 31 years old and just got a four-year, $40 million deal to re-sign with the Giants. Pagan was much better than Victorino in 2012, but combined during the past three seasons Pagan has a .749 OPS and Victorino has a .766 OPS.

One big difference is that the Red Sox presumably would play Victorino is a corner spot, assuming they don’t trade Jacoby Ellsbury, but as early-30s center fielders with .750-OPS bats they’re potentially pretty similar. Unless you’re convinced Victorino showed signs of simply being washed up down the stretch, in which case $38 million is pretty scary.