The Rays acquired Kelly Shoppach from the Boston Red Sox Cleveland Indians for a player to be decided upon.

This trade does open the possibility that the Rays will cut ties with Dioner Navarro instead of offering him arbitration by the December 12th deadline as there is no need to keep both catchers. Shoppach is much stronger versus lefties (1.045 OPS vLHP, .652 vRHP in ‘09) as is Navarro (.740 OPS v LHP, .489 OPS vRHP in ‘09).

This move does not keep the Rays from re-signing Gregg Zaun to be the left-handed bat in a catching platoon.

I would certainly take a chance on Navarro if the Rays let him go. He’ll be 26 this season, so if he’s going to perform like he did in 2008, the next three years are the most likely time.