The 2026 MLB season is only six games old for the Boston Red Sox, but things may already be going off the rails for this team. After winning on Opening Day against the Cincinnati Reds, the Red Sox have lost five straight games. Making matters worse, drama is already brewing, as catcher Carlos Narvaez was abruptly benched by manager Alex Cora ahead of their 6-4 loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
Narvaez’s benching caught folks by surprise, especially considering how early into the season we are. Whatever the reason may be, it’s clear that things are not trending in the right direction for Boston, with both Narvaez and Cora refusing to provide any sort of insight as to why this move was made.
Carlos Narvaez, Alex Cora Sidestep Benching Decision
In 2025, Narvaez emerged from out of nowhere to make Boston’s catcher job his own, as he hit .241 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs in 118 games of action. Narvaez entered the year reprising that role, and he’s been one of Boston’s better hitters so far this season, as he has four hits in nine at-bats through his first three games.
Initially, Narvaez was set to play on Wednesday, but he was scratched just before the start of the game in favor of Connor Wong. Players get scratched all the time, but Cora’s murky reason for not playing Narvaez caught fans’ attention. Sure enough, he didn’t provide much more explanation after the game, instead opting to try and sweep the incident under the rug.
“Let’s keep it between me and Carlos,” Cora said to reporters. “And he understands. This is something that happens on every club. It just happens to be early in the season, and I think it’s the right thing to do.”
With Narvaez on the bench, Wong went two-for-three at the plate, so it wasn’t as if this decision cost Boston the game. However, seeing Narvaez get benched in just game No. 6 of 162 isn’t exactly a good sign, especially with both him and Cora tiptoeing around the situation. Like his manager, Narvaez didn’t give much of an explanation as to what happened after the game.
“Like AC said this morning, I prefer to keep it between us,” Narvaez said. “I don’t have much to say right now … I respect the decision … It’s nothing wrong. Just gotta keep going.”
Do the Red Sox Have a Carlos Narvaez Problem on Their Hands?
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)Carlos Narváez #75 of the Boston Red Sox walks across the field prior to game three of the American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 02, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City.
Simply put, nobody was expecting the Red Sox to face these sorts of problems this early in the 2026 campaign. Sure, they didn’t have the perfect offseason, but the Sox have one of the deepest pitching staffs in the league to complement a young lineup that features exciting young stars like Roman Anthony. Put it all together, and expectations were high in Boston entering the year.
Instead, the team has been unable to do much of anything right to this point, with Narvaez and Cora’s sudden beef being the cherry on top. The hope is that this situation will be defused in short order, but the way in which both guys are discussing it is worrying. The Sox will enjoy a much-needed day off on Thursday before taking the field for their home opener against the San Diego Padres on Friday afternoon.
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