BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox re-signed left-handed reliever Alan Embree on Tuesday, giving him a two-year deal worth about $5.5 million and a chance to be the team's closer if it doesn't sign Ugueth Urbina or another free agent.

	Embree

''I'm going to do anything they ask me to do,'' said Embree, who chose not to file for free agency because he wanted to stay with the Red Sox. ''I would love to challenge myself. If you say, 'No, I want to be a middle reliever for the rest of my career' -- boy, that's underachieving.''

Embree gets $2.75 million in each of the next two seasons, and Boston has a $3 million option for 2005. It was not immediately known if Embree would get a buyout if the option is declined.

Used primarily as a setup man last season, Embree was 1-2 with a 2.97 ERA with the Red Sox after coming over in a June 23 trade, and 3-4 with an 0.94 ERA in 35 appearances for the San Diego Padres.

He went 27 appearances and 27 2/3 innings from May to July without allowing an earned run, earning his two saves in both ends of a July 2 doubleheader.

The Red Sox are still talking with free agent Ugueth Urbina, who had 40 saves last year as the closer. But the Red Sox believe the new collective bargaining agreement with the players will lower the market price for players like him, and Urbina is testing the market to see if that's true.

''There's still a chance he could wind up with the Red Sox,'' said Chris Leible, an agent in the office that represents Urbina. ''The market is definitely a little different this year than it's been in the past, and teams are hesitant to set the market.''

For now, that leaves Embree as the closer.

''We know that he has that capability,'' interim general manager Mike Port said, ''but he can serve us in a number of roles.''

Embree could have tested the market, but he chose to return to the team that made him feel comfortable after trading for him in a four-player deal.

''It was comfortable in San Diego, don't get me wrong. But this is a chance to win,'' he said. ''When you go to a new team and they make you feel welcome ... they made it so easy for me. Everybody, from the time I walked in, I was sold on it.''

Several other teams expressed an interest, he said, ''But I didn't care. I was set on being with the Red Sox.''

Embree was a free agent last winter after splitting time with the San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox. That year, he started off with an 11.34 ERA before going on the disabled list with lower back problems; he finished the year 1-4 with a 7.33 ERA.

''Last year, being a free agent was very sorry experience,'' said Embree, who has played for seven teams in nine seasons. ''Coming of a bad first half, not many teams wanted a guy that had the price tag I had.''