Connor Wong began a Triple-A rehab task right now, because the catcher seems to be nearing a return from the left pinkie finger fracture that despatched him to the 10-day injured checklist again on April 8. Talking with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith (a number of hyperlinks) and different reporters right now, Purple Sox supervisor Alex Cora indicated the crew will “play it day-to-day and we don’t need to rush” Wong, because the backstop will want multiple rehab look anyway.
Wong seemingly solidified his place as Boston’s first-choice catcher by hitting .280/.333/.425 with 13 residence runs over 487 plate appearances final season. He was ice-cold on the plate over his first 26 PA of 2025, so this early damage might function one thing of a recent begin for Wong’s season.
Carlos Narvaez has taken the majority of the catching duties in Wong’s absence, and he has been spectacular sufficient defensively that Cora stated Narvaez will proceed to get share of enjoying time even when Wong is again on the sphere. “I’m not saying we cut up up the week however [Narvaez] will play lots,” Cora stated.
Often known as a defensive specialist even throughout his time within the minors, Narvaez has lived as much as that rep over his transient MLB profession. He has hit solely .205/.279/.333 in 86 PA (15 with the Yankees in 2024, 71 with the Purple Sox this yr), however Narvaez has been excellent in all aspects of catcher-related glovework apart from his potential to throw out baserunners. With the Sox committing to Narvaez and Blake Sabol additionally on the roster as the present backup, Yasmani Grandal might set off the Might 1 opt-out clause in his minor league contract given the relatively crowded path to big-league enjoying time as soon as Wong is again.
Cora supplied updates on another injured Sox gamers, together with one thing of a non-update on Masataka Yoshida. The outfielder/DH started the season on the 10-day IL as he continued his restoration from October shoulder surgical procedure, however although we’re now a month into the 2025 marketing campaign, it doesn’t seem Yoshida is predicted again any time within the close to future. Yoshida remains to be “simply taking at-bats down there [at Boston’s Spring Training complex] and his throwing program,” Cora stated.
Yoshida was wholesome sufficient to hit throughout Spring Coaching however hasn’t been capable of play the sphere, as he continues to construct up his arm power. Given the period of time Yoshida has already missed, it stands to motive {that a} shift to the 60-day IL may come sooner relatively than later. Such a roster transfer would sideline Yoshida till late Might on the earliest, although that may not be a problem given Yoshida’s unsettled timeline.
Kutter Crawford has additionally but to play in 2025, however the right-hander continues to make progress in his restoration from proper patellar soreness. Cora stated that Crawford is ready to throw a bullpen session at Boston’s prolonged spring camp, and Crawford will then advance to throwing a reside batting-practice session later this week. Whereas Crawford appears to be on monitor, he may also be a candidate for a 60-day IL transfer if the Purple Sox want the roster area, because the righty will nonetheless have to make a number of rehab begins to make up for the entire time he missed throughout the spring.
Star prospect Roman Anthony had an damage scare on Friday when the outfielder left a Triple-A recreation early after fouling a ball off his left foot. X-rays have been adverse on Anthony’s foot, as Purple Sox senior director of participant growth Brian Abraham stated throughout an look on the Baseball Isn’t Boring radio present (hat tip to Rob Bradford), so it seems as if a worst-case state of affairs has been prevented.
Anthony is day-to-day for now, although all eyes will proceed to watch his standing each within the quick time period and with reference to how any type of damage may influence his inevitable MLB debut. Between final season and this season, Anthony has a scorching .332/.459/.545 slash line over 266 Triple-A plate appearances, making it solely a matter of time earlier than arguably the game’s greatest prospect arrives in Boston. The place precisely Anthony would match right into a crowded Purple Sox outfield has been a scorching matter, although for sure, Anthony may merely drive the difficulty if his preliminary big-league manufacturing is something near his Triple-A piece.
