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Currently, the Red Sox have three active catchers—
Sandy Leon,
Christian Vazquez and
Blake Swihart. Today,
Alex Cora indicated that
all three may be on the post-season roster. While Leon has become an elite defender, his offense has regressed to sub-Mendoza levels. And, neither Vazquez nor Swihart have fulfilled their earlier high expectations. So, what should the Red Sox do in 2019? One intriguing possibility is free-agent Phillies backstop
Wilson Ramos. Just 31-years-old, Ramos came into his own with the Washington Nationals in 2016—hitting .307, with 22 HRs and 80 RBIs. He signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as a free agent, and was then traded
this season to the Phillies at the deadline. His combined 2018 stats so far are: .315, 15 HRs, 68 RBIs. In addition to his offensive skills, Ramos is a top-notch defender—particularly with regard to his handling of a pitching staff and pitch framing. Over his career, he's also thrown out 32% of would-be base-stealers—compared with the 28% MLB average and Leon's 37% career numbers. While Leon is two years younger, Ramos can contribute on
both offense and defense. It might be something for Boston to consider in the off-season.
