Veteran catcher becomes free agent for fourth time in eight months

Catcher Jorge Alfaro has elected to become a free agent, according to his MLB.com player page. Alfaro was designated for assignment by the Red Sox earlier this week and he cleared waivers, then choosing to return to the open market rather than accept an outright assignment to Boston’s Triple-A affiliate.

Alfaro has now been a free agent four times in the last eight months, with three of those trips coming since the start of June. After signing a minor league deal with the Red Sox during the offseason, Alfaro exercised his June 1 opt-out clause and then caught on with the Rockies on another minors pact. Colorado selected Alfaro to the majors for 10 games, but then DFA’ed the veteran in early July, and Alfaro returned to the Sox on a major league contract after again choosing free agency over an outright assignment.

In reaching five years of MLB service time last season, Alfaro gained the right to reject any outright assignment in favor of free agency. The 30-year-old appears intent on seeing if he can find another guaranteed big league deal or at least a minor league contract on a team with more opportunity for an eventual promotion to the majors. That might preclude a return to Boston, now that Reese McGuire is back from the injured list and sharing time with Connor Wong. Alfaro has hit only .146/.212/.292 over 52 plate appearances this season, but with catching depth scarce around the league, it might not take him long to secure another contract.