BOSTON (AP) — The Red Sox agreed to terms with catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract on Thursday.
Boston avoided salary arbitration with Saltalamacchia, 27, who hit .222 with 25 home runs and 59 RBIs last season.
Saltalamacchia became the first catcher to lead the Red Sox in home runs since Carlton Fisk, who hit 26 in 1973 and 1977.
Acquired by Boston from Texas on July 31, 2010, Saltalamacchia is a switch-hitter who last year set a career high in games (121), and his .991 fielding percentage ranked sixth in the American League.
The Red Sox have eight arbitration-eligible players remaining: right-handers Alfredo Aceves, Andrew Bailey, Daniel Bard, and Joel Hanrahan, left-handers Craig Breslow, Andrew Miller and Franklin Morales, and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.
