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Since firing Alex Cora, the Red Sox haven't been any better, which could lead to a certain outfielder being on the trade block.
The Boston Red Sox bounced back in Game 2 of their series against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, winning 9-1 to level the series heading into Monday’s finale.
Behind the scenes, a catching competition has been quietly taking shape. A Triple-A callup claimed off waivers in the spring has worked his way into the conversation for the starting role, and interim manager Chad Tracy addressed it on Saturday.
The numbers have made it a legitimate discussion.
Mickey Gasper has been one of the more pleasant surprises in Boston this season. He was called up from Triple-A Worcester on May 7. Since then, he has started three of the last five games behind the plate.
The production has been solid. Gasper is hitting .340 on the season. He is posting a .820 OPS against right-handed pitching, with 40 of his 47 at-bats coming against righties.
Tracy spoke about Gasper’s role on Saturday. The plan, he said, is to get Gasper in the lineup as much as possible against right-handers. He acknowledged it is not a simple shift with other catchers on the roster also wanting time.
“Right now, it’s hard to not put his name in there,” Tracy said.
Chad Tracy essentially named Mickey Gasper the Red Sox current primary catcher:
“At the moment, with right-handers, we’re looking to be aggressive to get Mickey in there … That doesn’t mean that as you move along, things can’t change. Injuries happen, or guys go in slumps. You
GettyMickey Gasper, Boston Red Sox.
Connor Wong got the start in Game 2 of the Guardians series, with Tracy pointing to Wong’s familiarity with starter Sonny Gray as the reason. Wong is hitting .241 on the season. The third catcher on the roster, Carlos Narvaez, has posted a .210 batting average.
Gasper is outperforming both at this point, and Tracy’s comments suggest the team is willing to reflect that in the lineup. He did leave room for things to change as the season goes on. Injuries and slumps are part of the game.
Gasper was not in this conversation when the season started. He came up from Triple-A and has made a case for himself with the bat.
Tracy is not ruling anything out either way. But as long as Gasper keeps hitting, the opportunities will keep coming.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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