Red Sox hoping better health can lead to breakout season for Carlos Narvaez

Boston Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez had a strong rookie season in 2025. That performance may just be the beginning.

Christopher Smith from MassLive.com reported that Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Narvaez's knee began bothering him in his first game behind the plate on March 29. Roberts further said that Narvaez's knee continued to bother him all season, necessitating offseason surgery.

Narvaez was a solid catcher in virtually every facet during his rookie campaign. He posted a .241/.306/.419 batting line in his 446 plate appearances, hitting 15 homers and 27 doubles. Narvaez was also excellent defensively, leading the majors by throwing out 32 would-be base stealers, ranked fourth in the American League in caught stealing percentage (29.4 percent) and tied for fourth in the majors with 10 runs saved defensively.

Carlos Narvaez could be primed for a breakout season with Red Sox

His knee problems affected his performance. Narvaez struggled in the second half in 2025, posting a .187/.233/.387 batting line with seven homers and nine doubles in his 161 plate appearances. He also led the AL with nine passed balls as his knee issues hindered his mobility behind the plate.

Narvaez is slated to be the Red Sox's starting catcher in 2026. He and Connor Wong, the Red Sox's two main catchers in 2025, are the only catchers on their 40-man roster as spring training begins. The Red Sox will be counting on Narvaez to take another step forward during the upcoming season. If he can stay healthy in 2026, Narvaez could have the type of breakout season the Red Sox are hoping for.