Four Options Red Sox Could Explore After Losing Catcher To Rays

When Danny Jansen reportedly agreed to a one-year, $8 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, the Boston Red Sox endured their first official roster subtraction this offseason, opening the door for the front office to get creative.

Boston’s next offseason phase will take place during the MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas, scheduled to start on Monday, giving chief baseball officer Craig Breslow a chance to consider a plethora of opportunities — including finding a Jansen replacement, The Red Sox already have Connor Wong slated to be the go-to backstop, but with Jansen crossing division-enemy lines, it leaves Boston down a man.

Free agency, for one, is worth a look if Breslow and company plan on welcoming a new catcher to split behind-the-plate duties with Wong in 2025.

Here are four options the Red Sox could consider:

Martín Maldonado
Even though Maldonado is 38 years old and 14 seasons deep into his big league career, the 2022 World Series champion has his sights set on taking the field in 2025, per The Atheltic’s Ken Rosenthal. This could work out perfectly for the Red Sox.

Maldonado, as was Jansen, is a short-term option. He made 48 appearances last season for the Chicago White Sox, batting just .119 with four home runs, however, where Maldonado’s strength comes into play is calling a game. Defensively, his reliability has been longstanding, and the 2017 Gold Glove Award winner won’t cost the Red Sox much — maybe even a minor-league deal, at most.

Yasmani Grandal
The market for Grandal is expected to generate interest from multiple clubs, especially after the 36-year-old ended 2024 with the Pittsburgh Pirates by slashing .311/.440/.554 with five home runs over the final two months of the season.

Grandal played 72 games last season, which marked the fourth time in the last five seasons in which he was limited to under 100 appearances. Still, while Grandal is three seasons removed from his impressive 23-home run campaign with the White Sox and five years removed from his last All-Star nod with the Milwaukee Brewers, he’s a 13-year veteran with more than enough innings under his belt.

Again, a short-term, low-risk option that can’t backfire in a major way.

Gary Sánchez
Milwaukee extended a qualifying offer, which Sánchez declined, giving everyone else — including the Red Sox — a chance to consider the two-time All-Star.

Sánchez, once a 30-plus home run hitter with the New York Yankees, hit .220/.307/.392 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs as a member of the Brewers last season. He also crushed seven home runs in 104 at-bats against left-handed pitching, but also underwent a month-long absence with a left calf strain.

The veteran slugger could provide a backup spark, without requiring a high cost to attain.

Kyle Teel
Now… the Red Sox don’t have to look up and down the free agents list since the organization has the No. 25 prospect in all of MLB.

Boston gave Teel, its No. 14 pick from the 2023 draft, a promotion from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester last season, allowing the 22-year-old to rack up 28 games worth of experience with the WooSox. There, Teel hit .255/.374/.343 with two home runs, three doubles and 18 RBIs, playing alongside fellow up-and-coming prospect Roman Anthony.

The possibility that Teel gets a big-league call-up, regardless of how the offseason or spring training unfolds, isn’t far-fetched at all.

Either way, the Red Sox have options.