The Boston Red Sox entered play Thursday with an AL-leading 117 hits and 29 doubles through their first 13 games and ranked second in the junior circuit in runs scored (67) and runs batted (64).
Boston’s offense took a hit earlier this week, however, when starting catcher Connor Wong was placed on the injured list due to a fractured pinky. For now, 26-year-old Carlos Narvaez is taking Wong’s spot behind the plate, but there’s been speculation that as the season progresses, the Red Sox could look at the trade market to upgrade at the position.
Narvaez had only 15 plate appearances across six games during his first taste of MLB last season with the New York Yankees and has gone 6-for-23 in seven contests with Boston in 2025.
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller offered three potential fits for the Red Sox at catcher on Thursday, if they were to seek an outside replacement for Wong.
Neither William Nor Willson Contreras ‘Would Come Cheap’
Miller mentioned backstop brothers William and Willson Contreras as options for Boston, though noted that neither NL Central star would be easy to acquire.
“Neither Contreras brother would come cheap, particularly William, who has a $12 million club option for next season plus one more year of arbitration eligibility in 2027. Even if Milwaukee drops out of the picture completely, it will be reluctant to move one of its best hitters. Willson is more gettable with the Cardinals possibly headed for a total rebuild, but he’s also making $18 million this season, $18 million next season, $18.5 million in 2027 and has a $17.5 million club option or $5 million buyout for 2028,” Miller wrote. “Boston certainly brings in enough revenue to make that happen, but it may well decide against it.”
Willson — who, at 32 is five years Williams’ senior — is in his third season with the St. Louis Cardinals after starting his career with seven campaigns with the Chicago Cubs. He helped the Cubs win their first World Series in 108 years when he was a rookie in 2016 and later made his three All-Star teams in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
Willson recorded 20 home runs, 67 RBI and an .826 OPS with St. Louis in 2023 before being limited to 84 games last season due to a fractured forearm. Cardinals brass moved him to first base permanently this season, but he could return behind the dish if he were traded elsewhere. The veteran is off to an ice-cold start in 2025, going 5-for-49 with no home runs, three RBI and 22 strikeouts (which ties for the MLB-high), so could come at a slight discount.
William on the other hand, has been one of the best offensive catchers in baseball since taking over as a starter in 2022 when he was with the Atlanta Braves.
The now-27-year-old helped Atlanta win the World Series in 2021 and made his first All-Star team in 2022 when he posted a career-high .860 OPS across 97 games. William joined the Milwaukee Brewers ahead of the 2023 campaign and has earned back-to-back Silver Slugger honors, made his second All-Star team in 2024 and finished fifth in the NL MVP voting after registering career bests in runs scored (99), hits (167), home runs (23) and RBI (92).
He’s also off to a slow start this spring, beginning 6-for-39 with two home runs and four RBI.
Red Sox Could Reconnect With Longtime Former Starting Backstop
Prior to last offseason, Red Sox Nation expected their catcher of the future to be Kyle Teel.
The top prospect was the centerpiece of the trade that landed them ace Garrett Crochet over the winter, however, leaving Wong as the undisputed starter for at least 2025. Wong has started 126 games each of the last two seasons.
Aside from the Contreras brothers, Miller also listed former longtime Boston backstop Christian Vazquez as a potential option.
The Puerto Rican 34-year-old was selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft and made his big-league debut in 2014. After returning to his native country in 2015, Vazquez spent 2016-18 splitting catching duties with Sandy Leon and was part of the team’s most recent World Series championship seven years ago.
He was then the team’s primary catcher from 2019-2022, before being sent to the Houston Astros at the 2022 trade deadline in a deal that saw Gold Glove outfielder Wilyer Abreu land with the Red Sox. Vazquez had his best season in 2019, posting career highs in runs scored (66), hits (133), home runs (23) and RBI (72) among other categories.
The 11th year pro won his second World Series with the Astros in 2022, signed with the Minnesota Twins that December and has been with them since.
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