World Series champion Mitch Garver a right-handed hitting option for the Red Sox lineup?
The Red Sox catching situation should be on the bottom of priorities for the club to address this offseason. With Connor Wong and Reese McGuire on the roster, Boston has two inexpensive options behind the plate with top prospect Kyle Teel waiting in the wings to be the team’s future backstop.
If the Red Sox want to look for a short-term upgrade, World Series champion and Rangers free agent catcher Mitch Garver could offer Boston a few options on the roster.
Garver is coming off a strong season for Texas, slashing .270/.370/.500, adding 19 homers but only played 87 games. The 32-year-old missed nearly two months with a knee injury. He has a history of injuries over the course of his big league career and has only played over 100 games once.
An intercostal strain early in the 2020 season is what limited him to 23 games, and even after he returned he wasn't able to replicate his breakout 2019 season. During the 2021 campaign, Garver dealt with a mixture injuries from his hand, his groin, his rib cage and his lower back that kept him out for weeks and months at a time.
Boston could look at Garver to fill the void in the lineup left behind Justin Turner. The right-handed Garver could offer depth on the roster as a third catcher, allowing the Red Sox to keep both Wong and McGuire. The notion he would come to Boston and be the backup for Wong should be immediately dismissed. The money it will cost for Garver in free agency should throw cold water on that thought.
His defense behind the plate is on a decline, he’s not a great thrower, either. Garver has only thrown out 19% of would-be basestealers and his framing is average at best. Boston would be strictly adding him to their roster for his bat and not for his ability behind the plate.
The University of New Mexico alum could see time at designated hitter, opposite of when Masataka Yoshida is penciled into that spot. The Red Sox would like to use the DH role different with a rotation of players versus one player locked into the position. Garver’s lack of positional versatility and Yoshida soon-to-be transitioning DH versus an everyday left fielder, the catcher might not be an ideal fit.
Now, let’s say the Red Sox decided to add Garver, the New Mexico native crushes left-handed pitching, owning a .272 batting average against southpaws and a .509 slugging percentage over his career.
Last season, Garver owned an .870 OPS and a 140 wRC+ and only struck out 23.8 percent of the time, per FanGraphs and Statmuse.
Among current free agents this winter, only Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani posted a higher OPS+ than Garver (134). It should be noted no one on the planet is comparing Garver’s offensive production to Ohtani. Garver’s bat was strong for the Rangers when he was in the lineup. he ranked in the 83rd percentile or better in barrel rate (83rd), expected slugging percentage (85th), expected wOBA (87th), walk rate (90th) and chase rate (98th).
In 2019 Garver put on a hitting clinic and won the AL Silver Slugger award for the best-hitting catcher that season. In 93 games he mashed 31 home runs, 16 doubles and put up an OPS of .955. The potential for his bat to perform at a high level is there and could be a nice addition if wasn’t the main offensive addition to the Red Sox lineup.
There’s been some speculation that Garver could play first base when Triston Casas needs a day off. The issue with that is the veteran has just 15 career games at first base. That doesn’t mean Boston can’t teach him to play the position. Boston acquired Kyle Schwarber during the 2021 season and put him at first base. There’s a track record of moving players out of position and creating more roster flexibility.
Garver will not come cheap in free agency and should command at least three years in his new deal. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel projects the free agent catcher to sign a three-year, $37.5 million.
At the end of the day, adding Garver doesn’t seem to make much sense for the Red Sox despite the strong offensive season. The injury concern should be enough to scare the Sox off from pursuing him. Boston is better served bringing back Turner than signing Garver, unless the cost and years are lower and he’s not the only addition to the lineup.
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