The Boston Red Sox have limited the playing time for catcher Carlos Narvaez in favor of Mickey Gasper, and the former starter recently shared comments on losing his role with Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic.
“I’m a part of the team and I understand what’s going on, but on my end I just have to be ready,” Narvaez said, relayed by McCaffrey. “No one is telling me anything, if something changed — clearly something changed — but I don’t know, just be ready for the opportunity, and that’s it.”
The 27-year-old Narvaez has hit just .214 with two home runs and a stolen base this year. He’s posted a 68 wRC+ across 125 plate appearances. The backstop is striking out at a hefty 30.4% clip, well above his mark from last season (24.9%).
Gasper bounced around in the offseason. He was claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins by the Washington Nationals in January. The Nats then let him go, and the Red Sox swooped in and claimed him. Gasper didn’t break camp with Boston. He was called up in early May. The veteran has hit .303 in 21 games with the club.
Boston Red Sox Catcher Carlos Narvaez Opens Up About Losing Role to Mickey Gasper
Narvaez came to the Red Sox from the division rival New York Yankees ahead of the 2025 season. Boston sent Elmer Rodriguez to New York in a minor trade. Narvaez had just six games of big-league experience under his belt before coming to the Red Sox. He emerged as a key cog in the lineup, delivering a .725 OPS with 15 home runs as the team’s primary catcher.
Defense helped Narvaez stay in the lineup last season. He posted 10 Defensive Runs Saved across 952 innings behind the plate. Narvaez was a finalist for the Gold Glove Award in the American League, along with Alejandro Kirk of the Toronto Blue Jays and Dillon Dingler of the Detroit Tigers. Dingler ultimately took home the hardware.
Narvaez’s glove work has slipped this season. He’s recorded -3 DRS in 305 innings. It’s an unexpected downturn for a player who was crucial to the club in 2025.
“I’m a team player, I’m a leader of this team — or at least that was the case last year, and in my mind that hasn’t changed,” Narvaez said, relayed by McCaffrey. “Just going to be there for whenever the team needs me, and my job is to be ready for that.”
Gasper Earning a Bigger Role in Boston
The 30-year-old Gasper debuted with the Red Sox in 2024. He failed to stick with the big-league club after going 0-for-18 in limited action. Gasper earned semi-regular playing time with Minnesota last season. He hit .158 while spending time at first base, second base, and left field, in addition to catching.
Gasper has come through with a perfectly league-average 100 wRC+ in his second stint with Boston. The same goes for his defensive work behind the plate, as he’s recorded 0 DRS over 69 innings. The veteran has also played a bit of first base this year. Gasper might not hold onto the job all season, but he’s clearly outplaying Narvaez right now.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Red Sox Catcher Speaks Out About Losing Job: ‘Clearly Something Changed’ appeared first on HEAVY.