One of MLB’s best offseason additions barely made headlines on the day the Boston Red Sox made their biggest splash.
On Dec. 11, the Red Sox acquired ace Garrett Crochet in a blockbuster deal with the Chicago White Sox. That same day, Boston added little-known catcher Carlos Narvaez in an under-the-radar trade with the New York Yankees.
While Crochet has lived up to lofty expectations as Boston's ace, Narvaez has shattered them as the club's MVP so far in 2025.
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SIGN UP HERE It didn't take long for Narvaez to unseat Connor Wong as the Red Sox' starting catcher. The 26-year-old rookie quickly established himself as one of the game's premier defensive backstops, currently ranking near the top of the league in framing, blocks above average, caught stealings above average, and pop time. He ranks third among MLB catchers with six defensive runs saved.
The biggest surprise has been Narvaez's offensive production. Through 50 games, the Venezuela native is slashing .282/.361/.459 with six home runs and 22 RBI. He boasts the sixth-highest OPS (.859) among MLB catchers with at least 100 plate appearances.
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Narvaez's breakout season has seemingly stunned everyone except his ex-Yankees teammates, including superstar Aaron Judge.
“Narvy is a hard worker, a great teammate, one of the best we ever had over here,” Judge said after Sunday's Red Sox-Yankees series finale at Yankee Stadium, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. “I was sad to see him go, but excited for the opportunity he's getting right now. He's really doing his thing over there, swinging it well.
"He had a short time coming up with us for a little bit and the stuff I saw in Spring Training and stuff I heard about, everybody loved him. He outworked everybody in this room. So it doesn't surprise me he's having the success he is this year."
Narvaez got a measure of revenge against his former team on Sunday, belting a three-run homer to help Boston take two out of three against New York with an 11-7 win.
Calling Narvaez the Red Sox' early-season MVP isn't hyperbole. As of Monday, he's tied with slugger Rafael Devers for the third-highest fWAR on the team (2.2). Only Crochet (2.5) and star third baseman Alex Bregman (2.4) rank above him.
The Red Sox would be lost without Crochet atop the rotation, but he only takes the mound every fifth day. Devers is mashing toward his fourth All-Star nod, but he's a designated hitter who caused off-the-field distractions with his refusal to play first base. Bregman was in the American League MVP conversation, but he went down with a devastating quad injury in May.
Narvaez, meanwhile, has been a steady presence both behind the plate and in the batter's box. He's one of the biggest reasons Boston's disappointing season hasn't yet spiraled out of control. At this rate, it wouldn't be a shock to see him take the field in Atlanta next month for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game.
The Red Sox, still fighting their way back to .500 at 32-35, will look to carry their momentum back to Fenway Park for a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. First pitch for Game 1 is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday.