A day after trading Gold Glove catcher Jacob Stallings to the Miami Marlins for three prospects, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent catcher Roberto Perez to a one-year $5 million deal. The 32-year old Perez is a two-time past Gold Glove winner, who hit 24 home runs in 2019. The Cleveland Guardians had declined his $7 million option during this offseason after two injury-plagued seasons.
Pirates also signed Arbitration-eligible shortstop Kevin Newman to a new deal, and offered contracts to outfielder Bryan Reynolds and pitcher Chris Stratton, but will let pitcher Chad Kuhl move on to free agency.
All of the activity comes just prior to what appears to be the first labor lockout in Major League Baseball – which is likely to come by midnight tonight. After two brief negotiating sessions between MLB and the players’ union Tuesday which led to minor progress, management is expected to impose a lockout when the collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59pm tonight. The last baseball work stoppage was in 1994-95.