Chad Tracy Hints Triple-A Callup Could Take Over Starting Catcher Duties originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Utility player Mickey Gasper has quickly become a fan favorite since being called up from Triple-A Worcester on May 7.
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Gasper was claimed off the waiver wire this Spring. He split his time in Worcester between second base and catcher. He was listed as a second baseman on the roster, but has started three of the last five games behind the plate for the Boston Red Sox.
Gasper is batting .340 on the season, with 40 of his 47 at-bats coming against right-handed pitching. He's also posting a .820 OPS against righties.
Interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters on Saturday that Gasper's impressive start would earn him more and more opportunities to take over the full-time starting role behind the plate for Boston.
"At the moment, with right-handers, we’re looking to be aggressive to get Mickey in there," Tracy said. "That’s not an easy thing for a drastic shift and the other two guys want to be in there, but we have to capitalize on that.
"That doesn’t mean that as you move along, things can’t change. Injuries happen, or guys go in slumps. You don’t know. But right now, it’s hard to not put his name in there."
Connor Wong got the start in Game 2 of the series against the Cleveland Guardians. Tracy attributed the decision to Wong's connection with starting pitcher Sonny Gray.
Wong is hitting .241 on the season, while the third catcher on the roster, Carlos Narvaez, has struggled mightily on offense, posting just a .210 batting average.
Tracy didn't mince words: This thing is projecting towards Gasper starting a majority of the games at catcher. Tracy welcomes the tough conversation, but as long as he keeps producing, the decision won't be hard to make.
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