"Hideki Matsui is set to be introduced as the A's new designated hitter today at an afternoon news conference, a source confirmed to Bay Area News Group.

The A's have waited to make an official announcement because Matsui, 36, wasn't scheduled to take his physical in the Bay Area until this morning.

It's expected Matsui will sign a one-year deal in the neighborhood of the $6 million he made with the Los Angeles Angels last season.

Some concrete news did stream from A's headquarters Monday, as free-agent right-hander Brandon McCarthy agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal that includes incentives. McCarthy, 27, adds depth as the A's search for a fifth starter to round out their rotation.

But improving an anemic offense tops the A's priority list, and with Matsui, they finally found a middle-of-the-lineup caliber hitter willing to call the Coliseum home.

How much impact Matsui can make remains to be seen, as he's certainly on the downside of his career. He's hit .290 with 161 homers over eight major league seasons -- the first seven with the New York Yankees. He was 28 when he left Japan to join the Yankees.

One major league scout, who requested anonymity, said Matsui "at one time was a very good player who could do a lot of things. He's not that guy at all anymore."

But Matsui's numbers last season -- a .274 average with 21 homers and 84 RBIs -- represent a significant upgrade over anyone from Oakland's 2010 lineup."