Last season, the Texas Rangers got a .605 OPS out of their catchers, good for third-worst in baseball. In an effort to fill what was something of a gaping hole, they've now gone out and added veteran backstop Yorvit Torrealba.
Yorvit Torrealba Signs Two-Year Contract With Rangers
The 32-year-old free agent catcher signed a two-year deal with the Rangers worth $6.25 million. As such, he'll receive a raise from the $0.75 million he made with the Padres in 2010.
Torrealba batted .271 with the Padres, with a .343 OBP and a .721 OPS. He also threw out 37% of would-be base-stealers, north of his career mark of 30%. It was arguably the best season of Torrealba’s career, made all the more impressive by the fact that he spent half his time hitting in San Diego’s pitcher-friendly Petco Park.
The Rangers hope that he'll be able to carry that success into the American League, where he's previously spent just a fraction of one season with the Mariners. He'll take over for free agents Bengie Molina and Matt Treanor, who got the lion's share of playing time behind the plate a year ago.
Though Torrealba is approaching the downslope of his career, this is an upgrade for the Rangers. To read more, be sure to visit Lone Star Ball.
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