Red Sox rookie catcher Carlos Narváez having no problem with extra workload
'Really good,' Narváez said. 'I always feel like I'm stronger in the second half of the season. But I feel fine.'
Narváez is performing at a high level defensively and through Friday had hit .286 with an .814 OPS. Saturday's game against the Braves was the fourth time he's hit cleanup this season.
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For a team that needed righthanded hitters to balance the lineup, Narváez has been invaluable.
Among qualified American League rookies, Narváez is second in OPS, tied for fourth in RBIs (17), and second in doubles (11). The only Red Sox catcher to win Rookie of the Year was Hall of Famer
Carlton Fisk
in 1972.
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Narváez met Fisk in January at the team's 'Fenway Fest' event. Maybe that has something to do with it.
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'He's very diligent with his work. So far so good,' manager
Alex Cor
a said. 'You see the numbers defensively … I don't know about the other rookies this month, but he should be top three for rookie of the month, if not rookie of the month.
'He keeps getting better. In a perfect world, he should be hitting seven for us, make the lineup deeper. But this is where we at right now.'
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Cora said the medical staff is keeping a close eye on how Narváez is handling the workload. He also discusses the intricacies of his position with game-planning coach
Jason Varitek
and catching coach
Parker Guinn
.
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'I think the staff is doing an amazing job the mental side of it,' Cora said. 'He's still learning the game. Sometimes it's not that you question or second guess to pitch right, but you have to walk him through situations.'
Narváez isn't worried about wearing down.
'This is what I wanted, to be an everyday player in the major leagues,' he said. 'I'll do whatever they need me to do.'
Gonzalez back on the field
Romy Gonzalez
batted second and played first for Triple A Worcester at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It was the first game in what is expected to be a brief rehabilitation assignment.
He is scheduled to DH on Sunday and could rejoin the Sox as soon as Monday.
Gonzalez has been on the injured list since May 8 with a large bruise on his left thigh.
'We'll have a [roster] decision to make when Romy comes back,' Cora said.
Nick Sogard
, who has appeared in one of the last five games, could be the odd man out.
Righthander
Kutter Crawford
, who has been out all season rehabilitating an injured right knee, is set to start a rehab assignment next week.
Special visitor
Much to Cora's delight, former teammate
J.D. Drew
popped into the dugout during batting practice to say hello. Drew, who lives in Georgia, played for the Sox from 2007-11 …
Richard Fitts
,
Brayan Bello
, and
Lucas Giolito
are lined up to face the Angels at Fenway starting on Monday.
Peter Abraham can be reached at
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