“I can confirm that we are in serious discussions with the Angels,’’ Matsui’s agent, Arn Tellem, wrote in an e-mail to the AP. Tellem declined further comment.

Matsui surpassed 100 RBIs four times in seven seasons with the Yankees after coming over from Japan. He just completed a $52 million, four-year contract with New York.

Matsui hit .274 with 28 homers and 90 RBIs last season, then was selected World Series MVP despite starting only three of the six games against Philadelphia. He went 8 for 13 (.615) with three homers and eight RBIs, tying a Series record by driving in six runs in Game 6.

Slowed by surgically repaired knees, the 35-year-old Matsui would replace Vladimir Guerrero as Los Angeles’s primary designated hitter. Guerrero, will turn 35 in February and is also a free agent.

Wolf went 11-7 with a 3.23 ERA in 34 starts for the Dodgers last season. He is 101-85 with a 4.13 ERA in 11 major league seasons with Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Houston.

The Brewers have made starting pitching a priority after finishing last season 80-82 and posting the highest ERA among starters at 5.37.

Milwaukee also re-signed Craig Counsell to a $2.1 million deal, and has a preliminary one-year agreement in place with reliever Claudio Vargas, a deal pending a physical.