The Angels have reached an agreement with second baseman Howie Kendrick on a four-year contract pending a physical, according to a person familiar with negotiations who could not speak publicly about them.

With the new deal, which is believed to be worth $33.5 million, the Angels will avoid Kendrick's final year of arbitration and buy out his first three years of free agency.

General Manager Jerry Dipoto said late Wednesday night that he had had preliminary discussions with the agents for Kendrick and shortstop Erick Aybar about multiyear deals, and those negotiations obviously moved quickly with Kendrick, who hit .285 with 18 home runs, 30 doubles and 63 runs batted in last season.

Kendrick, 28, made $3.3 million in 2011 and was expected to push his salary to the $5.1-million range in arbitration this winter.

He is a career .292 hitter in six big league seasons, with a .329 on-base percentage, 50 home runs, 163 doubles and 305 runs batted in, and he has improved each season defensively.

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--Mike DiGiovanna

Photo: Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick is congratuled by teammates in the dugout after scoring on a seventh-inning double by Erick Aybar against the White Sox during a game in August at Angel Stadium. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times