Former Boston Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki announced his retirement on Jan. 18 via Instagram.
Plawecki played for the Mets, Red Sox, Guardians and Rangers during his eight-year MLB career. He also posted minor league stints for the Pirates, Nationals and Padres organizations but never appeared with either in the big leagues.
Former Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki announces retirement after eight seasons in MLB
Plawecki's tenure with Boston began in 2020 and ended in the middle of the 2022 campaign when he was designated for assignment and signed with Texas after his release. He spent some of his best years in a Red Sox uniform and slashed .270/.333/.364 over 148 games with Boston.
Sox fans remember Plawecki fondly for his impact on the 2021 squad, the last Red Sox team to make the postseason. He introduced a Calum Scott cover of Robyn's "Dancing On My Own" as the club's win song, which Kyle Schwarber introduced to the Phillies clubhouse a year later.
Potential Red Sox target Anthony Santander signs with division rival Blue Jays
Potential Red Sox switch-hitting free agent target Anthony Santander signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on Jan. 20. The longtime Oriole will remain in the American League East for at least another five seasons.
The outfielder signed a five-year, $92 million deal with player options and deferred money as Toronto takes a page out of the Dodgers' book. Santander's contract is quite close to Masataka Yoshida's five-year, $90 million deal he signed with Boston before the 2023 season, which has already fallen out of favor with many Sox fans. We'll see how Santander's contract ages — fortunately for Toronto, it is front-loaded.
Santander slashed .235/.308/.506 with a .814 OPS in 2024, and he netted career-highs in home runs (44), walks (58) and RBI (102). Boston could've signed him as a way to replace Tyler O'Neill's pop, but Santander hits from the left-handed batter's box more often than the right, which is where the Sox need additional production.
Tigers discussions with Alex Bregman reach standstill to give Red Sox their moment
Alex Bregman suits Boston's needs as a gritty right-handed bat and excellent infield defense. The Red Sox's chance to sign him may have opened with the latest update on the Detroit Tigers' pursuit of the veteran.
Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press on Jan. 21 reported that the Tigers' discussions with Bregman "are at a standstill." Boston and Detroit are two of the three teams remaining in the race to sign the veteran, and if he's not progressing toward a reunion with his former manager A. J. Hinch, the Red Sox should take advantage.
Earlier in the offseason, Bregman declined a deal in the $156 million range from his longtime club, the Astros. The infielder hopes to sign a deal in the $200 million range, but as his options decrease, he may be forced to settle for less. With just a few weeks until spring training, Red Sox Nation may not have to wait much longer to see how his market shakes out.
Red Sox sign outfielder Kolby Johnson to a minor league deal
The Red Sox on Jan. 22 signed outfielder Kolby Johnson, formerly of the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, to a minor league deal. Johnson announced the signing himself via Instagram, and it was later confirmed by Brendan Campbell of Blogging the Red Sox and SoxProspects, and Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
Johnson, 25, batted .308/.380/.459 with 24 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs, 62 RBI and 32 steals over 112 games. His 11 outfield assists earned him a spot on the Atlantic League All-Defensive Team.