Red Sox Free Agency Rumors: Boston Interested In This Catcher

The Red Sox figure to be one of the most active teams in the pitching market this Major League Baseball offseason, but Boston apparently is looking at the other side of the battery as well.

A few days into the MLB winter meetings, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported the Red Sox have interest in veteran catcher Martín Maldonado. Maldonado, a career .207 hitter, isn’t much of a threat with the bat, but as Olney pointed out in his report, the backstop is “renowned for his handling of pitchers.”

Boston’s current blend of starters makes it easy to understand why Craig Breslow and company might have their eyes on Maldonado. Brayan Bello is a potential star in the making, Chris Sale is looking to bounce back from injury and both Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck seemingly have untapped potential. The Red Sox also might want to have a proven catcher in place to help with a potential addition of a frontline starter.

Maldonado also boasts a wealth of postseason experience. The 37-year-old has 65 playoff games under his belt and was the primary catcher for the Houston Astros’ run to the 2022 World Series championship.

But if the Maldonado courtship falls flat, perhaps Boston would consider a reunion with an old friend. Christian Vázquez, who played the first seven-plus seasons of his big league career with the Red Sox, reportedly is being “aggressively” shopped by the Minnesota Twins.