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Chicago White Sox sign 37-year-old catcher Martín Maldonado — a veteran of the last 6 postseasons — to a 1-year deal

Astros catcher Martín Maldonado throws out the White Sox's Elvis Andrus on March 31, 2023, in Houston.

Martín Maldonado has a strong reputation for working with pitching staffs.

The Chicago White Sox signed the 37-year-old catcher to a one-year deal Tuesday, a source confirmed to the Tribune.

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Terms have not been disclosed. According to the New York Post and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, who first reported the signing, the deal includes an option year.

Maldonado has a career .207/.282/.349 slash line with 111 home runs and 361 RBIs in 1,118 games during 13 seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers (2011-16), Los Angeles Angels (2017-18), Houston Astros (2018, 2019-23), Kansas City Royals (2019) and Chicago Cubs (2019).

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He hit .191 with 15 homers and 36 RBIs in 116 games for the Astros in 2023. He has appeared in each of the last six postseasons with the Astros, winning a World Series championship in 2022.

Maldonado is the second catcher the Sox have added this offseason. They acquired Max Stassi in a trade from the Atlanta Braves on Dec. 9.

Catchers Korey Lee and Carlos Pérez are also on the 40-man roster.

Maldonado made an impact on Lee, who played in the Astros organization before being dealt to the Sox on July 28.

“I got to be around Martín Maldonado, I got to learn from him, I got to see how he managed a pitching staff at that end,” Lee said in August of his time in the majors with the Astros in 2022. “Learned how he communicated with pitchers and it taught me a lot. I’m going to carry that further into my career and make it my way, but he taught me how to be a professional catcher.”

Maldonado brings that, and his big-game experience, to the Sox.


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