Red Sox sign Jhonny Peralta to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed third baseman Jhonny Peralta to a minor-league deal, according to a club announcement. Peralta will report to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Peralta is the second veteran to join Boston’s organization today, as the club picked up righty Doug Fister in a waiver claim earlier this afternoon. Both Peralta (2010-13) and Fister (2011-13) previously played under president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski for the Tigers, so familiarity clearly played a role in Boston’s additions.

Peralta, 35, struggled to a .204/.259/.204 line in 58 at-bats for St. Louis this season before being designated for assignment and released earlier this month. He was initially linked to both the Red Sox and Yankees, with Boston emerging as a likely suitor due to the club’s third-base struggles.

Though Peralta will head to Pawtucket to start, he’ll be seen as a major-league option for a club that has had Pablo Sandoval, Josh Rutledge and Deven Marrero man the hot corner for the entire season. That ineffective trio has led Dombrowski to look for external help, being linked to trade candidates like Todd Frazier (White Sox) and Mike Moustakas (Royals) in addition to adding Peralta.

Peralta owns a lifetime .267/.329/.423 line with 202 homers in 15 major-league seasons with three clubs (Cleveland, Detroit and St. Louis).