Red Sox agree to one-year contract with outfielder Kevin Pillar

February 15th, 2020

BOSTON, MA – The Boston Red Sox today signed outfielder Kevin Pillar to a one-year contract for the 2020 season.

Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the announcement.

The Red Sox’ 40-man roster is now at 40.

Pillar, 31, hit .259 (158-for-611) with 14 stolen bases last season and set career highs in home runs (21), RBI (88), slugging percentage (.432), OPS (.719), and triples (3) in 161 games for the Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants. A right-handed hitter, he batted .278 (45-for-162) and slugged .519 against left-handed pitchers in 2019, hitting nine home runs with only 15 strikeouts. The three-time Gold Glove Award finalist (2015-17) appeared in 133 games in center field and 27 in right field, recording six assists and two double plays.

Selected by Toronto in the 32nd round of the 2011 June Draft, Pillar has hit .261 (798-for-3,062) with 76 home runs and 318 RBI in 851 major league games over seven seasons with the Blue Jays (2013-19) and Giants (2019). In 47 career games at Fenway Park, he has hit .307 (55-for-179) with one home run. From 2015-19, his 53 defensive runs saved ranked seventh among outfielders, according to FanGraphs.

BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (40)

PITCHERS (22): Yoan Aybar, Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Colten Brewer, Austin Brice, Nathan Eovaldi, Matt Hall, Kyle Hart, Heath Hembree, Darwinzon Hernandez, Chris Mazza, Josh Osich, Martín Pérez, Eduardo Rodriguez, Chris Sale, Mike Shawaryn, Jeffrey Springs, Josh Taylor, Hector Velázquez, Marcus Walden, Ryan Weber, Brandon Workman

CATCHERS (2): Kevin Plawecki, Christian Vázquez

INFIELDERS (10): Jonathan Arauz, Xander Bogaerts, C.J. Chatham, Michael Chavis, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, Tzu-Wei Lin, Mitch Moreland, José Peraza, Dustin Pedroia

OUTFIELDERS (6): Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., J.D. Martinez, Kevin Pillar, Alex Verdugo, Marcus Wilson