Diamondbacks set to reacquire ace

Randy Johnson is headed back to the Arizona Diamondbacks after two unfulfilling years with the New York Yankees that began with a nasty sidewalk confrontation and ended with a messy playoff loss.

The Yankees reached a tentative agreement with Arizona on Thursday to trade Johnson to Arizona for reliever Luis Vizcaino and three minor leaguers, a move that allows the Big Unit's agents to get him a contract extension.

Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes confirmed what he called "an agreement in principle" but did not identify the players that would go to the Yankees.

New York would receive Vizcaino and minor league right-handers Ross Ohlendorf and Steven Jackson and shortstop Alberto Gonzalez, a baseball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Yankees also would pay $2 million of Johnson's $16 million salary this year.

Teams are granted a 72-hour window by the commissioner's office to close tentative deals, and the Yankees and Diamondbacks must finalize the trade by 5 p.m. EST Sunday.

Newsday reported Thursday that Johnson had agreed in principle through "back-channel conversations" to a $10 million contract extension for 2008.

"We're going to start talking tomorrow," said Alan Nero, who represents Johnson along with Barry Meister. "We have a conference call set up."

Johnson, a five-time Cy Young Award winner, never seemed to fit in during two seasons with the Yankees, starting with when he put his long right arm up to block a television camera and said "Get out of my face, that's all I ask" as he walked from his midtown Manhattan hotel to his physical.

Last year, he lasted just 5 2/3 innings and gave up five runs in Game 3 of New York's first-round series against Detroit. The Yankees lost 6-0, fell behind 2-1 in the best-of-five series and were eliminated the following day.

FOULKE GETS 1-YEAR DEAL: Keith Foulke wants to be a closer again. The Cleveland Indians will give him the chance. The free agent reliever finalized a $5 million, one-year contract with the club Thursday, a deal both sides hope turns into a longer partnership. Foulke's deal includes about $2 million in performance bonuses and a mutual option for 2008. Bothered by assorted injuries the past two seasons in Boston, Foulke lost his closer's job last year when the Red Sox chose rookie Jonathan Papelbon.

ALSO: Infielder Mark Loretta and the Houston Astros agreed to a $2.5 million, one-year contract deal that allows him to make an additional $1 million in performance bonuses. The 35-year-old, likely to play at several infield positions, has a .299 career average and was a 2004 and '06 All-Star ... The Red Sox took an unusual step toward finding a closer by finalizing a $4 million, one-year contract with Joel Pineiro, who has one save in 185 games. With a slim market, Boston hopes he can be consistent.