David Ross likely won’t return to Boston, but he still might follow Jon Lester to Chicago.
CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman originally reported that Ross would sign with the San Diego Padres but later retracted that, saying the veteran catcher appears to still have the Cubs on his list. Ross was choosing between the Red Sox, Cubs and Padres as of Wednesday night, according to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford.
The Red Sox still need a backup catcher, with Christian Vazquez expected to begin the season as Boston’s starter. Ross was a viable option given his leadership, but it appears the Red Sox are going in a different direction.
The Red Sox and Padres also are nearing a deal that would send catcher Ryan Hanigan to Boston and third baseman Will Middlebrooks to San Diego, a source told Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan.
Ross, who turns 38 in March, is coming off a season in which he hit .184 with seven homers, 15 RBIs and a .260 on-base percentage in 171 plate appearances spread out over 50 games. His impact extends beyond the box score, though. Red Sox manager John Farrell said several times over the last two seasons that having Ross was like having an extra coach.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
