Rookie catcher Carlos Narvaez was a revelation this season, and it proved to the Boston Red Sox that he was here to stay. Narvaez had an amazing beginning to his season, soaring over Connor Wong in the depth charts to become their starting catcher.
With Narvaez taking up the position, he's been one of the top defensive catchers in baseball, leading the league in three different categories. He's leading in assists with 52 and caught stealings with 25; however, he's also leading the league in errors with eight.
He had an excellent May, with a batting average of .356, a .961 OPS, and a slugging percentage of .534. He also hit seven doubles, two home runs, and drove in nine runs in that month with 26 hits in 73 at-bats.
However, the problem may not be within him, but how the Red Sox see him as a player:
- How will the Red Sox envision his value?
- Will he end up being trade bait, or is he a Jason Varitek-like player where they are sure of his playing ability?
- Can he have more than one good season?
Those are the questions that Red Sox fans must think about in the coming months.
Red Sox C Carlos Narvaez is Entering Final September in Boston
In the offseason, the Red Sox could be doing an overhaul.
Just by the logjam of prospects and the logjam of the outfield alone, they need to make some hard decisions. Now, a significant opportunity has arisen within the past week, and it may escalate into a hurricane by the end of the season. Adley Rutschman, who is seemingly getting replaced by Samuel Basallo soon, could most likely be on the trade block this winter, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
If this ends up becoming a true factor down the line, the Red Sox could and definitely should acquire his services. The Red Sox don't have to drain out their entire farm, but getting pieces like Rutschman and possibly veteran pitcher Joe Ryan as well this offseason can give this young team some solidarity coming into 2026.
If the Red Sox can figure out what they need to do to get him, Rutschman could easily be playing in Fenway Park for 81 games instead of six. That would be a great place for him to hit in, and could very well give his career a facelift, highlighting how parting ways with Narvaez could be a sacrifice worth making.