In this Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007 file photo, Colorado Rockies' Yorvit Torrealba (8) is congratulated at home by Ryan Spilborghs (19) after hitting a three run home run during the sixth inning in Game 3 of the National League Championship baseball series against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Denver. The Blue Jays announced on Monday they have signed Torrealba to a minor league contract.Ed Andrieski/The Associated Press
The Toronto Blue Jays signed catcher Yorvit Torrealba to a minor league contract on Tuesday and he will report to the team's Double-A affiliate in New Hampshire.
Torrealba was placed on waivers last week by the Texas Rangers so that he could be given his unconditional release.
At the time he was hitting .236 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 45 games with the Rangers.
The signing is simply a matter of providing the Blue Jays with a solid veteran backup to Jeff Mathis, who has been handling most of the catching duties since starter J.P. Arencibia went down with a broken right hand on July 26.
"It's an established big league player that's had some success," Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Tuesday night about Torrealba. " Obviously Jeff's been handling the bulk of the role right now. Him and Torrealba will split the job."
The move came on the same day that the Blue Jays announced they had signed Mathis to a two-year, $3-million (U.S.) contract extension, plus a club option for the 2015 season.
Torrealba will join New Hampshire on Thursday and play four games with the Fisher Cats and is expected to join the Blue Jays next week when the team is in Detroit to play the Tigers.
The Blue Jays top minor league prospect is a catcher in Travis d'Arnaud and with all things being equal he likely would have been called up when Arencibia was injured.
However, d'Arnaud himself was hurt, tearing a left knee ligament on June 25th sidelining him for the season.