Red Sox' Kyle Teel an option for the '25 Opening Day roster; potential platoon with Connor Wong?
The Red Sox are expected to be active this winter once free agency opens following the conclusion of the World Series. While most fans will have their eyes set on the pitching market, Boston has other needs to address, including the catching position.
Connor Wong, Reese McGuire, and Danny Jansen were the primary three backstops last season. Wong enjoyed a strong offensive season, slashing .280/.333/.425 with 13 homers, 24 doubles, one triple, 52 RBI, 28 walks, and eight stolen bases with a .758 OPS in 126 games. He hit a wall in the second half of the season and saw his batting average plummet.
Defensively, Wong was below average, ranking in the 3rd percentile in terms of blocking and the 9th percentile in framing, according to Statcast. Wong remains under contract, with 2025 being his final pre-arbitration season. He is under team control through 2028 and could provide trade value if Boston looks to find a new starter for 2025.
McGuire elected free agency earlier this month and will likely pursue other opportunities around the league. He expressed displeasure with being designated for assignment by the team following the Jansen trade in July.
“It’s just interesting. I’ll definitely say it: It caught the whole clubhouse off guard with that trade,” McGuire said to MassLive’s Christopher Smith in August. “I felt like we were a really, really close-knit group. And we finished that first half really, really strong. And everyone was on the same page. Everyone was locked in and ready for that second half to kick off. Unfortunately for me, that move was made, which pretty much put the writing on the wall that the position was going to be filled.”
Mickey Gasper is more of a depth option for the Red Sox at the Triple-A level. During his short cup of coffee with the big league club, he went hitless and looked lost at the plate. Gasper doesn’t fit as a longterm option let alone as someone who could handle the backup duties over the course of the season. He is currently on the 40-man roster but could be a DFA candidate in the winter as the Red Sox upgrade their roster.
With Kyle Teel knocking on the door and the eventually future starter, Boston could platoon the duo in 2025. Wong offers versatility with the ability to play both first base and second base. Teel had a strong offensive season in the minors, hitting a combined .288 with 13 homers, 23 doubles and an .819 OPS between the Sea Dogs and WooSox.
Danny Jansen is unlikely to return; he is a free agent in the offseason and after hitting .188 with three homers, six RBI, and striking out 19 times in 80 at-bats.
The free agent market offers veterans who can offer some offensive pop while providing stability behind the plate next season. One option is impending free agent Gary Sánchez, whom the Red Sox targeted last offseason. This past season with the Brewers, Sánchez slashed .220/.307/.392 with 11 homers and 37 RBI in part-time duty (89 games). The only hurdle surrounding Sánchez is the mutual option he and the Brewers hold heading into free agency.
Sánchez could platoon with Wong for 2025 while Teel remains developing with Triple-A Worcester. Boston could trade Wong, sign Sánchez, with Teel serving as his batterymate behind the plate.
Other options on the market this winter are Carson Kelly, Yasmani Grandal, Austin Hedges, Elias Díaz, Jacob Stallings, and James McCann, to name a few. The Red Sox will need to be active and add a veteran to stash at Triple-A Worcester regardless of Teel’s status.
Ultimately, Boston needs to make the transition to Teel seamless and easy at some point in 2025. He has skyrocketed through the Red Sox system and could be a real option for the Opening Day roster.
Boston should sign a veteran or two that can be stashed in Worcester, while Teel and Wong are the two catchers heading into 2025. Once Teel takes over, Wong can be his backup, play other positions, and potentially be dangled in trade talks to improve the roster down the stretch.
