Red Sox, Pierzynski Agree to Deal

After a solid year with the Texas Rangers, veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski has reportedly agreed to terms with the Boston Red Sox on a one-year deal worth $8.25 million, as reported by ESPN's Buster Olney.

The Red Sox are going with the soon-to-be 37-year-old vet over former Ranger Jarrod Saltalamacchia and plan on platooning Pierzynski with fellow vet David Ross.

Pierzynski had a good year with the Rangers, hitting .272 with 17 home runs and 70 RBIs but more importantly he was a galvanizing force in the clubhouse and seemed to give the Rangers a much-needed edge.

He has a history of rubbing people the wrong way — both teammates and opponents — but the teammate part never surfaced in Arlington, as he seemed be a solid clubhouse guy aside from an occasional heat-of-the-moment run-in with Yu Darvish.

Pierzynski's defensive skills have never been outstanding behind the plate, but he is one of the league's better hitting catchers despite his love for free-swinging and his hatred of patience at the plate.

He'll be missed in Arlington, as he seemed to quickly become a fan favorite and will always be remembered for his tag of Josh Donaldson in a walkoff play at the plate on June 20 in Arlington. After the tag, he gave an emphatic "X" sign to Donaldson as the Rangers erupted in celebration. It was one of the highlight moments of the Rangers season against a heated rival.

It was never really expected that the Rangers would attempt to re-sign Pierzynski, but a one-year deal seems like it would have been nice. They did bring back Geovany Soto on a one-year deal and are currently on the prowl for a second catcher to pair with Soto.

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