Red Sox to call up catcher Saltalamacchia
The Boston Red Sox are set to promote their trade-deadline acquisition in Jarrod Saltalamacchia in light of their latest injury.
Catcher Kevin Cash has been placed on the disabled list after tweaking his left hamstring. It’s the same old story of the season for the Red Sox who seem to be suffering injuries every week.
Saltalamacchia has been in Pawtucket with the Sox’ Triple-A team but will now get a chance to fill a hole in a depleted Sox line-up. Boston traded for the catcher in a deadline deal with the Texas Rangers and feel he can be a long-term solution at the position.
Starting catcher Victor Martinez will become a free agent at the end of the season. Also, Saltalamacchia has experience playing first-base, meaning he could fill in for Mike Lowell on certain days as well to give Lowell a breather.
Saltalamacchia began the season as a starter for the Rangers, but was injured just days into the season with stiffness in his upper back and shoulder. After being placed on the disabled list, he was sent to Oklahoma City, to play for the Rangers’ Triple-A team, where he had problems throwing the ball due to his injuries.
The good news is he’s now made a full recovery and he’s ready to play whatever role the Sox need him to play.
"We obviously scouted him heavily a couple years ago, then kept an eye on his career, watched the ups and downs, and always in the back of our head, we thought if there was a right time to get him without giving up premium talent, it might be something we want to pounce on," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said at the deadline.
The left-handed hitter has played 240 games in the majors, averaging .251 with 23 home runs and 94 RBIs.
Catcher and Red Sox captain Jason Varitek is still a couple of weeks away from returning as well. Vartitek has been out of the line-up since June 30th with a broken right foot.
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