The Boston Red Sox lost catcher Carlos Narvaez to an ugly finger injury on Sunday, May 17, against the Atlanta Braves, and the backstop shared news about the issue following the matchup.
“I hit it off the end of the bat and felt it just jam,” Narvaez told reporters, including Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. “When I took off my glove, it was a little sideways.” The catcher initially remained in the game after the incident. He played another inning in the field, then was replaced by Connor Wong. The 7-0 deficit could’ve influenced Narvaez’s exit from the game.
Narvaez added that he originally injured the finger on Friday, May 15, on a slide. He referred to his status as day-to-day, which would seemingly give him a chance to suit up for a series against the Kansas City Royals beginning on Monday, May 18.
“He wanted to continue, but it was a little sore,” interim manager Chad Tracy said, relayed by Cotillo. “Just felt like it was best to get him out of there with that score and not have him take another swing and maybe make it worse.”
Boston Red Sox News Update: Carlos Narvaez Dealing With Middle Finger Injury, Listed as Day-To-Day
Narvaez was confident he wouldn’t miss much time with the finger issue. He’s earned the majority of the reps behind the plate, appearing in 31 of 46 games. The 27-year-old has failed to follow up on his strong rookie campaign. Marvaez is slashing .225/.289/.348 across 98 plate appearances. He’s popped two home runs as Boston’s primary catcher.
The primary issue for Narvaez has been making consistent contact. The backstop is striking out at a 27.6% clip, a nearly 3% jump from 2025. He’s posted a concerning 13.9% swinging-strike rate. Narvaez has a hefty 31.3% CSW%, a 2.9% increase from last season. His walk rate has slipped to 6.1%. Narvaez has never been an elite plate discipline bat, but his 2026 performance is a step back from his career norms.
Narvaez came to the Red Sox in a 2024 trade with the New York Yankees. He emerged as a reliable producer in 2025, delivering a 97 wRC+ in 118 games. Narvaez hit 15 home runs and topped 50 runs and RBI. He easily unseated Wong as Boston’s top option behind the plate.
Narvaez, Red Sox Continue to Scuffle on Offense
Boston eked out a 3-2 victory against the Braves on Saturday, May 16, despite only scoring three runs. First baseman Willson Contreras launched a two-run homer in the eighth inning to propel the Red Sox to victory. The club hasn’t scored more than three times in eight consecutive games.
Only the San Francisco Giants have scored fewer runs than Boston this season. The squad ranks 22nd in batting average, 27th in wOBA, and dead last in wRC+. The Red Sox have had to endure slow starts from Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela. The team also lost Trevor Story and Roman Anthony to injuries. Offseason trade acquisition Caleb Durbin hasn’t panned out as the everyday third baseman. The lack of offense is the primary reason Boston sits in fifth place in the AL East.
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