From Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times comes word that the Rays are planning to exercise catcher Jose Molina’s $1.8 million club option for the 2013 season. It was that or pay a $300,000 buyout.
Molina batted .223/.286/.355 with eight home runs and 32 RBI in 102 games this season for the Rays while playing his usual brand of steady defense. He had a .281/.342/.415 slash line in 2011 with Toronto.
The 37-year-old brother of Bengie and Yadier seems likely to serve as a backup for Tampa Bay again in 2013, but he could take on a more involved role if the Rays can’t find themselves a front-line catcher on the open market this winter. There won’t be many available.
Molina has a .618 career OPS against righties and a .662 OPS against lefties, so a platoon is a possibility.
