Report: Pirates, catcher Roberto Pérez reach 1-year deal - MLB

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t waste time finding a replacement for Gold Glove catcher Jacob Stallings.

A person with knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press the Pirates have agreed to a 1-year deal worth $5 million with former Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. The signing is contingent on Perez passing a physical.

Perez, 32, won Gold Gloves in 2019 and 2020 with Cleveland but struggled at the plate throughout his career and hit just .149 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs in 44 games in 2021. The Guardians declined his $7 million option for 2022.

Perez takes over for Stallings, a Gold Glove winner in 2021 who was traded to Miami on Monday for reliever Zach Thompson and a pair of prospects.

Perez is a year older and considerably more expensive than Stallings, but the Pirates were able to flip Stallings – who is under team control through 2024 – for minor leaguers, the main focus of general manager Ben Cherington‘s franchise-wide reboot.

The trade left Pittsburgh, temporarily at least, without a catcher on the major league roster after Michael Perez was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis last week.

Roberto Perez will take over as the primary receiver for a pitching staff in flux. The Pirates used 17 different starters in 2021 and the rotation is a bit of a jumble, though Pittsburgh did sign veteran left-handed pitcher Jose Quintana on Monday to a one-year deal worth $2 million.

Pittsburgh’s staff in 2022 will not include Chad Kuhl, their 2021 opening-day starter. The Pirates did not tender the 29-year-old a contract after he went 5-7 with a 4.17 ERA in 28 games (14 starts) last season, his first full season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right arm in 2018.

The Pirates did avoid arbitration with shortstop Kevin Newman, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $1.95 million. Pittsburgh also extended contract offers to All-Star centerfielder Bryan Reynolds and pitcher Chris Stratton.

SAN DIEGO — The scuffling San Diego Padres claimed catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from the New York Mets.

The two-time All-Star was designated for assignment after playing in three games for the Mets. He went 1 for 6 with three strikeouts and an RBI, looking shaky at times behind the plate.

With the disappointing Padres (24-29) getting meager offensive production at catcher, they hope Sánchez can provide a boost. Austin Nola is batting .131 with three extra-base hits and a paltry .434 OPS in 39 games. His part-time platoon partner, second-stringer Brett Sullivan, is hitting .170 with four extra-base hits and a .482 OPS in 21 games since getting called up from the minors April 16.

Luis Campusano has been on the injured list since April 17 and is expected to be sidelined until around the All-Star break following left thumb surgery.

San Diego is responsible for just over $1 million in salary for Sánchez after assuming his $1.5 million, one-year contract.

The star-studded Padres have lost seven of 11 and are 3-3 on a nine-game East Coast trip. They open a three-game series at Miami.

San Diego becomes the third National League team to take a close look at the 30-year-old Sánchez this season. He spent time in the minors with San Francisco before getting released May 2 and signing a minor league contract a week later with the Mets, who were minus a couple of injured catchers at the time.

After hitting well in a short stint at Triple-A Syracuse, he was promoted to the big leagues May 19. When the Mets reinstated catcher Tomás Nido from the injured list last week, Sánchez was cut.

Sánchez’s best seasons came early in his career with the New York Yankees, where he was runner-up in 2016 AL Rookie of the Year voting and made the AL All-Star team in 2017 and 2019.

He was traded to Minnesota before the 2022 season and batted .205 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 128 games last year.

With the Padres, Sánchez could also be a candidate for at-bats at designated hitter, where 42-year-old Nelson Cruz is batting .245 with three homers, 16 RBIs and a .670 OPS, and 37-year-old Matt Carpenter is hitting .174 with four homers, 21 RBIs and a .652 OPS.