Sandy Leon accepts assignment to Pawtucket
By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Red Sox will preserve their organizational catching depth with Sandy Leon accepting his assignment to Pawtucket.
The team announced Thursday that Leon decided not to opt for free agency, as was his right after he passed through waivers unclaimed this week. He was outrighted off the roster on Tuesday.
The decision to waive Leon represents a commitment to now-backup catcher Blake Swihart, who has just under 600 MLB plate appearances over parts of four seasons and appeared at six different positions for the Red Sox last season.
Leon, a strong defensive catcher and the preferred backstop for a number of Red Sox pitchers, almost certainly will be called upon in the event Swihart or starting catcher Christian Vazquez get hurt this season.
Leon is owed $2.5 million this season and batted .177 with a .511 OPS in 2018.
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