LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — J.D. Drew and the Boston Red Sox reached a preliminary agreement yesterday on a contract that could bring the freeagent outfielder $70 million over the next five years.

The Red Sox general manager, Theo Epstein, said the deal is not done because Drew has not yet taken a physical. But he told reporters that Drew is earmarked for the no. 5 spot in the batting order behind David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez — if Ramirez isn’t traded.

“With David and Manny, if they want to walk those guys, we want them to pay a steep price,” the Red Sox’ manager, Terry Francona, said.

Epstein also said Drew’s defense would be an asset in Fenway Park’s cavernous and quirky right field.

“For a long time, we’ve talked about having a center fielder in right field,” he said. “J.D. Drew’s a really good defensive player. Having him in right will help our outfield defense. In one player, we could address two areas of weakness.”

Drew’s agent, Scott Boras, compared him on defense to former Red Sox right fielder Dwight Evans.

“He can play an Evans-type right field or he can play a quality center field. I think the fans in Boston are really going to appreciate his style of play, as the fans in L.A. did,” Boras said. “We think J.D. has a chance to be very successful in Boston.”

The 31-year-old Drew has been dogged by injuries throughout his career, but he played in 146 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season and hit .283 with 20 homers and a teamhigh 100 RBIs. He became a free agent when he opted out of the last three years of his five-year, $55 million contract last month.

The injuries have added to negative perceptions that have followed Drew since the Philadelphia Phillies selected him no. 2 overall in the 1997 draft. He did not sign, went back into the draft and was picked by the St. Louis Cardinals fifth overall the next year.

At the time, then-Phillies pitcher Curt Schilling made critical and borderline threatening comments toward Drew. Now they’re both going to be with the Red Sox.

“My problem was with the agent,” Schilling told the Boston Herald this week. “We’ve talked. We were fine two minutes after we did.”

In the clubhouse, Drew is laid back to the point of being unflappable. Epstein said he was not concerned about whether the passionate Boston fans would read Drew’s personality as uncaring.

“Certain times, you want to bring someone in not to be the (primary) guy,” the GM said, noting that with Ortiz and catcher Jason Varitek, Drew does not need to be a clubhouse leader. “Virtually every player is a collection of strengths and weaknesses. We wouldn’t make a move like this if we didn’t feel like the player could perform in the role that we have earmarked for him.”