The Red Sox are mainly targeting pitching at this juncture of the offseason but also appear to be dipping into the catching market as well. Boston has some interest in free agent backstop Martín Maldonado, The Athletic’s Chandler Rome reported Tuesday evening.
Rome also mentioned the Padres, Marlins and White Sox as clubs interested in Maldonado, a 37-year-old who won an AL Gold Glove in 2017. A source told MassLive that the Red Sox are expected to meet with Maldonado’s representatives Wednesday. One league source estimated that 6-7 teams are involved in the bidding on the catcher, who is now unlikely to return to the Astros after Houston agreed to sign Victor Caratini to a two-year deal Tuesday. Houston plans to use Caratini, a former Brewer, as the backup to young catcher Yainer Diaz in 2024.
Maldonado has spent the last six years in Houston, where he was beloved by Astros pitchers and developed a reputation as one of the best defensive catchers and game-callers in baseball. For years, Red Sox manager Alex Cora (who spent 2017 with Maldonado, a fellow Puerto Rico native, in Houston) has raved about Maldonado’s game-changing abilities. It’s a safe bet that Cora is behind Boston’s interest in signing Maldonado.
ESPN’s Buster Olney also reported about Boston’s interest in signing Maldonado. He wrote Tuesday, “As the Red Sox move into the Craig Breslow era with a focus on pitching, they have interest in veteran catcher Martin Maldonado, renowned for his handling of pitchers.”
Maldonado is known for his strong game-calling skills but he has always been a below-average hitter. He batted .191 with a .258 on-base percentage, .348 slugging percentage, .606 OPS, 15 homers, 12 doubles, 33 runs, 36 RBIs, 30 walks and 139 strikeouts in 116 games (407 plate appearances) this past season for the Astros.
The Red Sox have just two catchers, Connor Wong and Reese McGuire, on their 40-man roster. Catcher Kyle Teel is nearing the majors after Boston drafted him 14th overall in June. Teel advanced to Double-A last season and Baseball America ranks him the Red Sox’s No. 4 prospect.
Boston tendered McGuire, who is arbitration eligible, a contract at the non-tender deadline Nov. 17. MLB Trade Rumors projects he will earn $1.7 million in 2024. He slashed .267/.310/.358/.668 with 14 extra-base hits in 72 games (206 plate appearances) last year.
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Wong appeared in 121 games behind the plate, including making 105 starts. The 27-year-old slashed .235/.288/.385/.673 with nine homers, 25 doubles, two triples, 55 runs, 36 RBIs, 22 walks and 134 strikeouts in 403 plate appearances. He ranked in the 12th percentile in both strikeout percentage (32.3%) and walk percentage (5.5%). He was in the 14th percentile in expected slugging percentage (.361).
Wong finished 15th among defenders at all positions in defensive WAR (1.9).
Tendering McGuire would seem to indicate the Red Sox plan to move forward with the Wong-McGuire tandem at the position, though the initial interest in Maldonado shows that they are at least poking around the catching market in free agency. On Tuesday at the Winter Meetings, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow reiterated that catching help was not a back-burner issue for Boston.
“I feel pretty comfortable with where we are, which is not to say that we won’t look for meaningful upgrades, but I don’t think we’re looking for incremental upgrades,” Breslow said. “I think if there’s someone out there who represents a meaningful step forward, we absolutely need to pursue it, but we’re pretty comfortable.”
