Boston Red Sox Update: Sign Catcher Sandy Leon, Announce Clay Buchholz as Opening Day Starter

The Boston Red Sox announced that Clay Buchholz will be their opening day starter.

"He came into camp in a good place, both mentally and physically," Red Sox manager John Farrell said reported by ESPN.com. "The line score last time out to me doesn't reflect the way the ball came out of his hand. Now, line scores are important. I get it. But he feels good physically. He's confident. We've seen when Clay has been in that place, he's one of the better pitchers in baseball."

The start will be Buchholz's very first Opening Day start in his nine-year career. The 30-year-old right-hander, who is the longest tenured member on the team's pitching club, will be up against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 6.

"He has lived the changes that have gone on around him," Farrell said. "He's fully aware of everything that is Boston and that goes along with being a starting pitcher for the Red Sox. He doesn't back away from it. He may go about it in his own way, he's not the most vocal guy in the world, but he's been here for a number of years. To me, he's in a position to embrace that and assume that."

The second start will go to newly acquired Rick Porcello. Justin Masterson and Wade Miley will start in either game three or game four while Joe Kelly has been slated as the fifth starter. Kelly's availability could change due to this biceps injury.

With the pitching rotation sorted out, the Red Sox made a move to acquire catcher Sandy Leon from the Washington Nationals, who they got in exchange for cash considerations.

"I was kinda surprised," Leon said. "It feels kinda weird. I've been here for (eight) years. They trade me to another team. It's going to be good for me to get an opportunity with another team, just being in the big leagues with whatever team."

Leon stated that he does not know whether or not he will be playing in the majors or the minors. The Red Sox needed to add depth to the catcher position after getting word that Christian Vasquez's elbow injury might be more serious than previously believed. Vasquez, 24, will see Dr. James Andrews this week.

Leon was batting .286 this spring. Last season, Leon made 17 starts and batted .156/.229/.229/.447. He threw out five of eight runners who were trying to steal a base.

"He's always been a good catch-and-throw guy,'' one major league talent evaluator said to ESPNBoston.com. "A switch-hitter, decent stroke, but never has had consistent at-bats to get it really going. He's been up and down with Washington, doing a good job as backup catcher. I am sure Washington would have liked to have kept him but he is out of options and other teams also had interest.''

Ryan Hanigan will be the Red Sox's number one catcher when they start the 2015 season.