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Free agent catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia expressed frustration on Monday with the lack of attention the Red Sox had given him, but Boston has rectified the situation by reaching out, according to MLB Trade Rumors' Tim Dierkes. Boston didn't submit the qualifying offer to Saltalamacchia on Monday, but contacted the backstop afterward.
The Red Sox aren't the only team to express interest in Salty, and, following his most productive season as a full-time player, it's likely he won't stay on the market for long once the likes of Brian McCann sign and help to set the market for catchers. If the Red Sox are the team to ink McCann, then there is no need for Salty in Boston, but if not, there's an obvious hole for the switch-hitter to fill.
It's unclear just how much Saltalamacchia will pull in as a free agent, but the fact the Red Sox didn't submit a qualifying offer to him likely gives you a hint about his annual value -- it's going to be loftier than pre-2013 projections based on his final year of arbitration, but it's also likely to fall short of eight figures annually -- just four catchers make over $10 million in average annual value.