logo
Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez accepting of ball-strike challenge system for 2026 season

Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez accepting of ball-strike challenge system for 2026 season

Boston Globe2 days ago

'I saw it coming. It's going to be a little bit different,' he said. 'Maybe we'll need time to adjust, but as a catcher, the challenge system is good … It's going to be good for baseball and for the fans too. It's going to be interesting when you challenge and see everything on the scoreboard.'
Advertisement
The tricky part for Narváez and others is the new arrangement stands to diminish a key skill of good catchers, pitch framing.
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
With the Red Sox this season, his first playing regularly in the majors, Narváez has lived up to his minor league reputation as an excellent framer, able to make pitches outside the zone look like strikes with subtle mitt movements. Entering Sunday, Narváez ranked in the 96th percentile in framing, according to Baseball Savant, MLB's analytics website.
Through that lens, the challenge system is 'not going to be 100 percent good for us as catchers,' Narváez said.
'I know if I frame a pitch and it was a ball and I made it a strike, and they challenge that it's a ball, probably the umpire is not going to give me the same pitch [for the rest of the game],' he continued. 'OK, so you got to deal with it. But I think it's going to be good for us … Everybody is going to adjust. And every catcher is going to have the ability to still frame pitches.'
Advertisement
Under the anticipated system, catchers, batters, and pitchers can challenge the umpire's ball/strike call. When a team is wrong two or three times (depending on which variation MLB selects), it isn't allowed to challenge for the rest of the game. So opportunities to steal strikes will remain.
Alex Cora
, noting that the Sox didn't get to use ABS much during spring training because their facility was not equipped with the technology, offered a diplomatic defense of umpires.
'We're trying to improve the game, right?' he said. '[Plate umpire is] the toughest job in baseball, to be honest with you. With the velocity, the movement, the catchers doing what they do behind the plate, it's a challenging job … They're human and it's a tough job and whatever we can do to make it better for them, I'm open to it.'
Crawford pushed back
The Red Sox delayed
Kutter Crawford's
bullpen session from the weekend to sometime this week, per Cora. Crawford had been on the brink of beginning a rehabilitation assignment before experiencing wrist soreness, setting back his return from a right knee issue.
Tanner Houck
(right flexor pronator strain) has 'a bullpen probably scheduled this week,' Cora said.
'Hopefully now we get going,' he added.
Seymour reaches The Show
Tampa Bay, which visits Fenway for a three-game set beginning Monday, called up 26-year-old lefthander
Ian Seymour
, a Connecticut native who grew up in Westborough and played for St. John's of Shrewsbury.
Advertisement
Seymour, a second-round pick out of Virginia Tech in 2020, was 5-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 12 games for Triple A Durham. He has been a starter throughout his career but the Rays want him in the bullpen for multi-inning stints if needed.
Seymour did not pitch in Sunday's win 3-2 win over the Marlins in Tampa but his parents,
Amy
and
Albert
, were at the game along with his brother,
Elliott
. His sister,
Isabelle
, flew in from Philadelphia.
As the rotation turns
The Red Sox will keep their rotation in order with
Brayan Bello
,
Lucas Giolito
,
Walker Buehler
against the Rays … In his first start since being sent back to Triple A Worcester, righthander
Richard Fitts
allowed 4 runs, 6 hits and 2 walks in three innings Saturday. Perhaps most significantly, he threw 60 pitches, his most at any level since April 12, when he strained his right lat.
Peter Abraham of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
Tim Healey can be reached at

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton Nears Return with Rehab Assignment
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton Nears Return with Rehab Assignment

Yahoo

time26 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton Nears Return with Rehab Assignment

Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton Nears Return with Rehab Assignment originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The light is finally at the end of the tunnel for Yankees' slugger Giancarlo Stanton as news broke on Tuesday that the five-time All-Star is set to begin his rehab assignment with the Double-A Somerset Patriots. Advertisement Stanton, 35, has thus far missed the entirety of the Yankees' 2025 season while dealing with epicondylitis in both of his elbows, a condition that has made swinging a bat nearly impossible without enduring an inordinate amount of pain. New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images It is believed that Stanton was initially injured last season, but the condition did not fully manifest itself until the offseason, when he attempted to prepare for the 2025 campaign. While the Bombers have done well without Stanton in the lineup, leading MLB in home runs (105) and the American League in runs scored (349), there's no doubt that he'll be a welcome addition to a lineup that has not been as imposing as the organization had hoped. Advertisement New York has not yet managed to overcome a three-plus run deficit in any game this season, falling to 0-15 after their 11-7 loss to the Red Sox on Sunday night. That makes the Yankees one of only three teams in MLB to be winless in such situations this year, joining the Rangers (0-18) and Brewers (0-20) in the hapless department. (Stats courtesy of Katie Sharp on Twitter/X). Giancarlo Stanton's looming return should help the Yanks in that regard, as his presence alone will lengthen New York's lineup and provide better protection for those around him. While he may no longer be an MVP-caliber player like he was in 2017 with the Marlins, Stanton has still proven himself to be an asset when called upon in important situations, like the playoffs. In six trips to the postseason with New York, Stanton has a .265 BA, a .994 OPS and was named the 2024 ALCS MVP. Depending on how many rehab games he needs and assuming he doesn't suffer any setbacks, an end-of-June return to The Majors could be in the cards for Stanton. Advertisement Related: Latest Giancarlo Stanton Rehab News Really Shows Progress Related: Yankees Prospects Struggle as Giancarlo Stanton Arrives for Rehab This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

Craig Kimbrel Signs With Rangers
Craig Kimbrel Signs With Rangers

Yahoo

time31 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Craig Kimbrel Signs With Rangers

Craig Kimbrel Signs With Rangers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. On Saturday, the Atlanta Braves designated veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel for assignment. This was right after the 37-year-old made his first major-league appearance of the season on Friday against the San Francisco Giants, where he allowed one hit and one walk. He also recorded one strikeout. Advertisement After clearing waivers, Kimbrel elected to become a free agent rather than being sent down to Triple-A by the Braves. Thus, this marked the end of the reunion between the Braves and Kimbrel. Now, the nine-time All-Star has already found his new home. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Kimbrel has signed a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers. Craig Kimbrel in a relief appearance with the Atlanta Braves in June Edwards-Imagn Images Kimbrel will now provide the Rangers' pitching depth with another experienced reliever. He will look to impress with the Rangers in hopes of landing a call-up to their major league roster. Kimbrel spent this past season with the Baltimore Orioles, and it was undoubtedly a rough year for the veteran. In 57 games with the American League East team, he had a 7-5 record, a 5.33 ERA, and 73 strikeouts. Advertisement Kimbrel has appeared in 838 career MLB games split between the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Orioles, and Braves, where he has a 56-47 record, a 2.59 ERA, and 440 saves. Related: Blue Jays Announce Vladimir Guerrero Jr. News Before Cardinals Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store