Red Sox trade catcher Sandy Leon to Indians for minor league pitcher

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Sandy Leon's unexpected run with the Boston Red Sox finally is over.

The Red Sox traded the veteran catcher to the Cleveland Indians on Monday for minor league right-hander Adenys Bautista, the team announced.

The trade is Chaim Bloom's second move since taking over as Boston's chief baseball officer in October and ends Leon's five-year tenure with the Sox.

The Red Sox weren't expecting much from Leon when they acquired him from the Washington Nationals for cash considerations in 2015.

The Venezuela native had a stellar 2016 campaign, though, batting .310 with an .845 OPS in 78 games while splitting time with Christian Vazquez behind the dish.

Leon became a trusted battery mate for Chris Sale, Rick Porcello and other Red Sox starters and played a key role in Boston's 2018 run to the World Series.

The 30-year-old played a total of 358 games for the Red Sox, batting .223 with 24 home runs and 118 RBIs over 1,074 plate appearances.

Leon's departure leaves Vazquez as the only returning catcher on the Red Sox' depth chart, as the team traded Blake Swihart midway through the 2019 season.

The 21-year-old Bautista joined the Indians in 2018 out of the Dominican Republic and joined Cleveland's Arizona League club last July after starting out on the organization's Dominican Summer League team.

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