Red Sox Rookie Has Officially Stolen Starting Job Before June

The Boston Red Sox continued to build their recent momentum with a huge 10-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday afternoon. It was a terrific performance from the Red Sox's bats, highlighted by rookie catcher Carlos Narvaez going 3-of-4 in the batter's box, including a 403-foot two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning.

Saturday's performance is just the latest example of Narvaez exceeding expectations to start the 2025 MLB season. Whether or not he can maintain his momentum all year remains to be seen; however, his hot start has made one thing abundantly clear: he's the Red Sox's starting catcher.

Carlos Narvaez Has Stolen Red Sox Starting Catcher Job Before June

Expectations weren't exactly high regarding Narvaez when the Red Sox acquired him from the New York Yankees during a mid-December trade. The Venezuelan catcher had only seen 13 MLB at-bats before the trade (all coming in 2024) despite signing with the Yankees as an international free agent in 2015, meaning it wouldn't have been shocking if he began the year in the minors.

Instead, a decent spring training performance combined with the defensive reliability he displayed in the minors saw Narvaez crack the Red Sox's Opening Day roster as Connor Wong's backup. The 26-year-old's outlook began to change for the better once Wong landed on the injured list with a fracture pinky amid a disappointing start to the campaign.

It didn't take Narvaez long to run away with the Red Sox's starting catcher job once Wong hit the IL, and the former's performance only further improved with time. In 14 games (50 ABs) since Apr. 18, Narvaez is slashing .300/.352/.580 with four home runs, nine RBIs, four walks, and 10 runs scored. For reference, Boston is 9-5 in those contexts.

In terms of defense, Narvaez has played to a .996 fielding percentage across the entire 2025 season. He leads the Majors with 18 assists, further proving just how impactful he's been on both sides of home plate.

Narvaez's outlook is also helped by Wong's underwhelming performance since returning from injury. Although the 28-year-old veteran is batting .267 in 15 ABs in his four post-injury appearances, his 33.3% strikeout rate and .267 slugging percentage during that stretch have left much to be desired.

Sometimes it's best to ride the hot hand in sports, and that's exactly what the Red Sox must do with Narvaez. He's exceeded expectations by giving Boston a reliable presence behind the plate that's more akin to a seasoned veteran rather than a first-year backstop.

Narvaez's strong start could also have long-term benefits, especially when award-related discussions begin. The first-year Red Sox catcher is currently unranked as far as FanDuel Sportsbook's American League Rookie of the Year odds are concerned, but that could quickly change based on Narvaez's recent performances.

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