PHILADELPHIA — Pedro Martinez is returning to the major leagues.

Martinez has agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press last night.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner was in town for a physical, and the Phillies planned to hold a news conference today, according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement hadn't been made.

Martinez can earn up to $1.5 million in incentives. The eight-time All-Star will need to make at least a few starts in the minors before he's ready to join Philadelphia's depleted rotation.

The 37-year-old Martinez went 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA for the New York Mets last year. The free agent pitched in the World Baseball Classic before this season.

The defending World Series champion Phillies have been hurt by injuries to their starting rotation. No. 2 starter Brett Myers had hip surgery in June. Antonio Bastardo, who replaced Myers, landed on the disabled list after making five starts. The NL East leaders already have used nine starters through 86 games. They used only seven starters last season.

Martinez is 214-99 with a 2.91 ERA in 17 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal, Boston and the Mets. He helped the Red Sox win the World Series in 2004.

Adding Martinez isn't expected to prevent the Phillies from pursuing All-Star Roy Halladay. The Toronto Blue Jays are actively seeking to deal the former AL Cy Young Award winner, and Philadelphia already has expressed strong interest.

COMMISSIONER

SELIG: NO MINORS FOR SUSPENDED PLAYERS

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig wants to keep players on drug suspensions from going to the minor leagues before they return.

Manny Ramirez drew sellout crowds last month in the minors when he played two games at Triple-A Albuquerque and three at Class-A Inland Empire on his rehabilitation assignment before his return to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 3.

"I believe that should be changed," Selig said yesterday during a one-hour question-and-answer session with the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "Their logic was OK — look, guys get hurt, they can go out on rehab, and so on and so forth. But I think that's something we need to really change in the next labor negotiation."

The current rules are in place through December 2011. Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president of labor relations, said management will not ask for a rules change before then.

"I'll let them work that out. I don't want to do our negotiating here," Selig said. "But it's 50 games and then go do what you got to do to get back into (shape)."

Selig also told the writers yesterday he is still reviewing Pete Rose's 1997 application to end his lifetime ban from baseball.

NATIONALS

TOP PICK SHOULD GET 'MEANINGFUL OFFER'

On the day pitcher Stephen Strasburg was voted the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur player in the United States, baseball commissioner Bud Selig predicted the Washington Nationals will make "a very meaningful offer" to the No. 1 draft pick.

Selig also hinted that management will propose major changes to the amateur draft during collective bargaining in 2011. It's possible baseball will propose a firm slotting system of signing bonuses.

Amateur draft picks currently are free to negotiate any contract they can, but management has a system of slotting recommendations and tries to get teams to adhere to it. Some do, and some don't.

"Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Ryan Zimmerman, Ryan Howard, I could go on and on, they all signed at slot or under. They're all doing pretty well," Selig said yesterday.

Strasburg has a fastball that's been clocked at 102 mph. He was 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA. He is represented by adviser Scott Boras.