Red Sox fill No. 2 catcher hole with signing of Kevin Plawecki

A month to the day after trading Sandy Leon, the Red Sox Thursday found his replacement, signing free agent catcher Kevin Plawecki to a one-year deal.



Plawecki, who was non-tendered by the Cleveland Indians earlier this off-season, agreed to a $900,000 salary for 2020. The Sox control him through 2022.

Ironically, since the Sox dealt to Leon to Cleveland, they essentially traded one backup catcher for another, though these were separate transactions. Mostly, this was -- as has been typical of Red Sox moves this winter, made with cost-saving in mind. Leon is expected to earn $2.8 million in arbitration, nearly $2 million more than the Sox will pay Plawecki.

Plawecki, who turns 29 in February, represents a marginal upgrade offensively over Leon, who slumped badly at the plate for the Sox after enjoying a career year with the bat in 2016. Plawecki .222/.287/.342 in 59 games with the Indians. Leon, by contrast, slashed .192/.251/.297 for the Sox.

Still, Plawecki is viewed as primarily a defense-first receiver. Baseball Prospectus ranked him 13th in pitch-framing skills for 2019.

He's thrown out 23 percent of would-be base-stealers in his career, below the MLB average of 29 percent.

Prior to last season with Cleveland, Plawecki spent four seasons with the Mets.

To make room for Plawecki o the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated Sam Travis for assignment. Travis, who was out of options, was a second-round pick out of Indiana in 2014, but over parts of three seasons, was unable to demonstrate any consistency at the plate, compiling a .659 OPS in 111 games.