Red Sox In Talks With Gold Glove Catcher

The Boston Red Sox are not done adding to their roster just yet. According to a report today, they're in talks with free agent two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher Roberto Perez. 

Red Sox are still considering catching additions and are in talks with free agent Roberto Perez, a source says. Perez was limited to 21 games in PIT last year after 8 years in Cleveland.

Sox have Reese McGuire, Connor Wong, Jorge Alfaro in the mix already.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) January 26, 2023

Perez has spent eight of his nine major league seasons in Cleveland, and was a back-to-back winner of top defensive catcher honors in 2019 and 2020. 

On the offensive side of the ball, he isn't quite so accomplished. He has a career .207 average and a .658 OPS, with his OPS+ of 75 leaving him 25% worse than the average hitter. He broke out with an unexpected 24 home runs in 2019, but has never had more than eight in any other season.

Unfortunately, the 34-year-old has had three straight injury-riddled seasons, and he was only healthy enough to get into 21 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022. He played just 44 games in his final year in Cleveland in 2021. 

The Red Sox, going into their first spring training in eight years without longtime catcher Christian Vazquez pencilled in as the starter, are certainly covering their angles at the position. They've got Reese McGuire and Connor Wong on the 40-man roster, with McGuire the likely starter, and recently signed Jorge Alfaro to a minor league contract to compete for a roster spot in spring training.

Perez would strengthen the position even more. 

Photo: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports