The Detroit Tigers and outfielder Johnny Damon have reached a preliminary agreement on an $8 million, one-year contract.

A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday night that the contract is subject to a physical, which will be some time next week. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski confirmed Friday he had made a contract offer to Damon, but Dombrowski did not return messages seeking comment on Saturday.

The 36-year-old Damon hit .282 with 24 homers and 82 RBIs last season, helping the New York Yankees win the World Series. He likely will bat leadoff for the Tigers, filling the void left when Detroit dealt Curtis Granderson to the Yankees.

Damon also will give Detroit a left-handed bat it needs in a righty-heavy lineup and a veteran in the outfield, where his savvy is an asset and his arm a liability.

The Atlanta Braves appeared interested in adding Damon and the Chicago White Sox recently withdrew their contract offer to him.

Damon became a free agent when his $52 million, four-year contract with the Yankees expired. He wanted a long-term deal at the same average salary, but they weren’t interested.

BASEBALL

Lincecum’s raise biggest

New York — Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum received the biggest pay increase in salary arbitration as raises for players dropped back to their usual level after a sharp spike in 2009.

Eligible for arbitration for the first time, Lincecum earned a 17-fold increase from $650,000 last year to an average of $11.5 million under a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. That was by far the largest percentage hike for players in arbitration, according to a study by The Associated Press.

AUTO RACING

Busch 1st; Patrick 31st

Fontana, Calif. — Danica Patrick accomplished one of her goals by finishing the race. She is still a long way from the lead packs in NASCAR.

Kyle Busch barely overtook Greg Biffle out of the final turn of a green-white-checker finish to win by .051 seconds in the NASCAR Nationwide race at California on Saturday, with Brad Keselowski right behind them.

It was a heartbreaking loss for Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano, who led 130 laps and was up front when the final caution came out. He finished fifth.

Patrick was 31st, three laps off the pace. But unlike Daytona, where she got caught up in a 12-car crash just past the halfway point, she was racing at the finish on the slick two-mile superspeedway.

GOLF

Woods’ caddie has warning

Sydney — Tiger Woods’ caddie Steve Williams says he won’t tolerate any heckling of his star player whenever the world’s No. 1 golfer returns to competition. Woods on Friday apologized for cheating on his wife, Elin, and said he’s unsure when he’ll return to golf. Woods indicated that he could make his return sometime this season. Williams has a reputation for not tolerating heckling or unauthorized use of cameras in the galleries when Woods is playing.

Poulter in Match Play final

Marana, Ariz. — Ian Poulter equaled the shortest match of the tournament to reach the final of the Match Play Championship. He won’t know who he plays until today because the longest match didn’t finish.

Paul Casey and Camilo Villegas, neither of whom had gone the distance all week at Dove Mountain, exchanged a series of great shots and clutch putts through 23 holes Saturday until twilight in the high desert made it too difficult to continue. They were to return first thing this morning to see who gets to face Poulter and a chance at the $1.4 million prize.

The final stroke of a long day belonged to Villegas, a 28-year-old Colombian, who had a 3-foot par putt on the 14th hole to win the match. He pushed it badly to the right, giving Casey an unlikely reprieve.

Some three hours earlier, Poulter closed out Sergio Garcia on the 12th hole, 7 and 6.

Armour, Simpson tied

Boca Raton, Fla. — Tommy Armour III and Tim Simpson were tied for the lead at 13 under after the second round of the Allianz Championship on Saturday.

The Champions Tour newcomer of the year, Armour put together a stretch of five straight birdies on the back side to finish with an 8-under 64.

Simpson, who had Deep Brain Stimulation surgery to stop a left hand tremor five years ago, joined Armour after he eagled the par-5 18th.

Bernhard Langer shot 65, and John Cook shot 66 on Saturday and were a stroke back entering the final round. Nick Price and Joey Sindelar both shot rounds of 65, and Loren Roberts and Tom Lehman both shot 67 to finish at 11 under.

NFL

Dolphins’ Allen charged

Miami Beach, Fla. — Miami Dolphins cornerback Will Allen has been charged with driving under the influence. Allen was arrested Saturday in Miami Beach and being held at the Pretrial Detention Center in Miami on $1,000 bond.

TENNIS

Venus retains Dubai title

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Venus Williams successfully defended her Dubai Championships title on Saturday, beating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, 6-3, 7-5, in the final.