One of the biggest concerns on the Boston Red Sox roster is their lack of strength regarding their catching depth.
And as Connor Wong recovers from a fractured pinky finger and is on the 10-day Injured List, Blake Sabol will serve as the backup catcher. The Sox acquired Sabol from the San Francisco Giants on Jan. 15 in exchange for international bonus pool money after he was the No. 4 pick in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft. He will be No. 2 behind Carlos Narvaez on Boston’s catching depth chart.
Sabol was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on April 8th and posted a great stint in the big leagues in 2024 while he helped cover for Giants catcher Patrick Bailey as he recovered from a concussion.
May 8, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Blake Sabol (21) during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reported on BlueSky that the Red Sox will examine Wong’s fractured finger on a weekly basis and they expect him back sooner rather than later. Manager Alex Cora even classified Wong’s injury as the “best case scenario” for a fracture. Sabol’s stint with Boston may not be long, but it will be both interesting and useful to see what he brings to the lineup both behind and at the plate.
The California native clocked 10 hits, two of them doubles, in 11 games before he was optioned back to Triple-A for the rest of the season. He batted .245/.337/.394 over 100 games in the minor leagues in 2024.
He made his major league debut in 2023 and batted .235/.301/.394 with 13 homers, 44 RBIs, and four stolen bases over 110 games with San Francisco. Sabol also has experience in the outfield. He appeared in left field 43 times with the Giants in 2023 and registered one error and one assist there.
