For the first time since he wore a Red Sox uniform, Sandy Leon will be returning to Fenway Park.
It's a good time to reflect on just how important this unassuming backup catcher was to this team's last world championship.
In case you didn't know, Leon has landed with the Miami Marlins -- who come to town for a a weekend series -- getting regular playing time for Don Mattingly's team. In 27 games, the 32-year-old is hitting .162 with a .439 OPS.
But if our time watching Leon with the Red Sox taught us anything it was to savor any sort of offense, but certainly don't count on it. Other than the aberration that was 2016 (hitting .310 with an .845 OPS), that was never his thing.
Pitchers flat-out loved throwing to Leon, and, for that 2018 title team, that was the be-all, end-all.
He was Chris Sale's guy. And then other pitchers also wanted to prioritize throwing to Leon. (He started the Red Sox' first two postseason games in 2018.) By the end of the regular season, his catcher's ERA stood at 3.28, the best of any qualifying backstop.
That hasn't changed.
Heading into Friday night's game against his old team, Leon's catcher's ERA sits at 2.98. This is what Leon continues to be all about.
The Red Sox have found a suitable replacement with Kevin Plawecki, with Christian Vazquez emerging as more of an all-around, everyday catcher than when he teamed with the current Marlin.
But what Leon did for the Red Sox shouldn't be forgotten. Consider it a tune-up for Tom Brady's return.