Connor Wong is heading for the IL after suffering a fractured left pinky finger during the Boston Red Sox loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. His replacement, Carlos Narváez, may not give him his spot back.
The starting catcher took a bat to the hand while committing catcher's interference. He tried to return to action, but ultimately had to be replaced. The Red Sox initially termed the injury a contusion. Manager Alex Cora had to deliver the bad news after additional testing.
For now, there is no timetable for Wong's return. We'd expect a fractured finger to keep a catcher out for some time though.
Connor Wong has a fracture of his left pinky finger and is headed to the IL. No timetable for recovery and for now, no corresponding move.
— Sean McAdam (@Sean_McAdam) April 8, 2025
Carlos Narváez will replace Connor Wong in the short term, and perhaps the long term
The Red Sox prepared for this. They traded with the Yankees for Narváez late last year. He was supposed to help with depth, but many fans hoped to see him ultimately take over for Wong in the long run. They're getting their wish a bit earlier than expected. It didn't help Wong that he started the campaign batting .087/.192/.087 with a -16 OPS+. This injury couldn't have come at a more vulnerable time for him.
Narváez appeared in six games with the Yankees last year. He was .231/.33/.231 from the plate. He's off to a hot start this year with four games already under his belt, batting .429/.556/.643.
Can he maintain his OPS+ of 242? That's unlikely, but offense wasn't his biggest selling point to begin with. His laser of an arm and defensive prowess made him an intriguing trade addition. The fact that his bat has been hot so far is a massive bonus. It's also a big part of the reason he could take Wong's everyday role. There's no doubt he's a better defender than Wong. If he can keep up the offense, it'll be hard to send him back to the bench.