Red Sox Catching Drama: Wong’s Back, But Narváez Has Changed Everything

It wasn’t long ago that Connor Wong looked like a lock for the bulk of the innings behind the plate in Boston. But as the Red Sox inch closer to activating their starting catcher from the injured list, the equation has changed—because Carlos Narváez is doing more than just holding down the fort. He’s re-writing the depth chart.

Wong, who fractured his pinky finger earlier this month, is targeting a return this weekend. Manager Alex Cora confirmed the plan in Toronto, noting that while Wong has resumed his rehab stint with Triple-A Worcester, he’s not yet fully comfortable receiving certain pitches. “He doesn’t feel comfortable catching right now,” Cora told MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “There’s a little bit of hesitation with certain pitches.”

That hesitation will buy more time for Narváez, who has been quietly exceptional on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he’s been elite. He leads all MLB catchers in “blocks above average” and has achieved high ranks in both pitch framing and overall fielding run value. If Wong’s path back was once clear, it’s now clogged with the emergence of Narváez as one of the more valuable backstops in baseball.

Red Sox, Narváez Making It a True Timeshare

Cora said earlier in the week that this won’t be a return to the old pecking order. Narváez has earned his innings. “Carlos is going to play. He’s going to play,” Cora emphasized. “Right now he’s the best defensive catcher in the big leagues.” And Narváez’s bat is playing too.

With Wong nearing a return, Yasmani Grandal is now hanging in the wings. Grandal, a 36-year-old former All-Star, signed a minor league deal shortly after Wong’s injury. He has a May 1 opt-out clause, and while he’s put up a strong .300/.440/.600 line in limited action with Triple-A Worcester, he’s reportedly been dealing with nagging injuries that have kept him out of action sporadically.

If Wong’s discomfort lingers or Grandal pulls the ripcord on his opt-out, the Red Sox will lean even harder on Narváez. But even if everyone’s healthy, it’s clear the team isn’t thinking in terms of starter and backup anymore.

The most likely outcome? A true platoon—Narváez and Wong splitting reps based on matchups, workload, and who’s got the hot hand. Blake Sabol, who’s served as the backup to Narváez in Wong’s absence, will likely be optioned back to Worcester once Wong is activated.

What started as a temporary shuffle is turning into a realignment. Wong’s return may be imminent, but his role is anything but guaranteed.

Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.

This article was originally published on Heavy Sports

The post Red Sox Catching Drama: Wong’s Back, But Narváez Has Changed Everything appeared first on Heavy Sports.