Catcher Carlos Narváez continues to contribute as bright spot during dark days for Red Sox

Boston Globe

7 hours ago

'He's very aware of the game, especially defensively,' said manager Alex Cora. 'Sometimes he needs to help out the pitcher, and he saw a window there against Heineman and made the throw.'
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After breaking spring training as the backup to Connor Wong, Narváez overtook the starting catcher role after Wong broke his finger on April 7. Narváez has run with the opportunity, producing a
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Behind the plate, Narváez is tied for the league lead in runners caught stealing (17) and runners picked off (3), and advanced metrics grade him as one of the league's top catchers in both pitch framing and blocks.
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With his production remaining steady in the wake of middle-of-the-order bats Triston Casas and
After batting fourth the past two games against Toronto, Narvaez now has more plate appearances this season in the cleanup spot (89) than any other place in the lineup. In those cleanup appearances, he's tallied 21 hits, 13 walks, and just 19 strikeouts.
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Narváez's offensive numbers have not been driven by extreme hot streaks, but rather the ability to remain consistent and brush off the tougher stretches that inevitably come.
After going just 3 for 24 on the recent West Coast road trip, he bounced back with two hits in Saturday's win and the home run and a walk Sunday.
Carlos Narváez sliced a second-inning home run inside the Pesky Pole on Sunday.
Paul Rutherford/Getty
Narváez was not impervious to the team's wider issues in the series finale — namely, he grounded out to second base with two runners in scoring position to end the fifth inning — but he put together quality at-bats.
'Offensively, he's been solid,' Cora said. 'Obviously, lately, not as hot as he was early, but he still has been having good [at-bats]. The homer and the walk [Sunday], he's still going to have that for us.'
Last week, Cora even alluded to the possibility of an All-Star berth for Narvaez, whose 2.4 WAR trails only the Mariners' Cal Raleigh (5.0) and the Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk (3.0) among American League catchers.
All-Star or not, the Sox will need to ensure that
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Cora also acknowledged last week that the Red Sox would need to get both Narvaez and Connor Wong regular playing time as the season wears on.
The team's offday Thursday and a Friday start for Wong resulted in the first stretch since early May where Narvaez had two full days off consecutively. He also has not caught three games in a row since
For his part, Narvaez has been willing to help the club whenever his name is called, by any means necessary — and feels prepared to continue doing so.
'We're halfway through the season, and those days if I don't play, I'm trying to do all my treatment stuff like everybody does,' Narvaez said. 'But it's not a big deal, I feel great body-wise. … I'm trying to be ready every day.'
Matty Wasserman can be reached at