Episode 1619
Boston Red Sox face critical decisions at catcher heading into 2026. Can rookie Carlos Narvaez develop into a reliable starter, or will Connor Wong's catastrophic offensive collapse force the front office to explore free agency?
Gabby (Hurlbut) Maljanian breaks down both catchers' 2025 performances with detailed statistical analysis. Narvaez showed defensive promise with elite framing and blocking metrics but struggled with plate discipline after a hot start. Wong's batting average plummeted from .280 to .190, yet he remains invaluable to pitchers like Brayan Bello and Aroldis Chapman. The discussion examines whether these automatic outs in the lineup prevent Boston from legitimate World Series contention.
Key topics include Narvaez's development trajectory compared to top prospect Roman Anthony, Wong's intangible value as a "pitcher whisperer," and potential free agent targets like Christian Vazquez, JT Realmuto, and Victor Caratini. Maljanian evaluates whether upgrading the backup catcher position should be a priority this offseason.
Discover whether the Red Sox catching situation requires immediate attention or if patience with internal development is the smarter path forward.
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Published on 1 day, 8 hours ago
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