The Blake Swihart conundrum isn't going away.
The Red Sox catchers have the second-worst combined batting average (.171) and worst OPS (.428) in the major leagues, yet Swihart still won't be cracking the rotation of Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon. Prior to Wednesday afternoon's game, Alex Cora explained why.
"It's just right now, we're comfortable with the other two. Nothing against him," the Red Sox manager said. "Like I mentioned to you guys two weeks ago, I know there are going to be days, he won't want to see me. He works, he's ready, it's just that the other guys right now, I do feel that they're that good defensively. There's a difference. He can catch at this level? Of course he can. We saw it in spring training. Last year, if I remember, there was a spot here in Tampa they went extra innings and he caught nine, 10 innings, something like that. It was great. As you guys know things happen at this level. The other day we thought we were going to make a move infield-wise and somebody got hurt and we had to make adjustments. It's not that I feel uncomfortable with Blake. Honestly, I feel comfortable. But as of now those two guys are going to catch."
Leon got the start Wednesday with Drew Pomeranz on the mound, carrying a 2.54 catcher's ERA, which is second in the majors after Houston's Brian McCann. Vazquez, meanwhile, is sitting at a respectable 3.68. The problem comes on the offensive end, with Leon hitting .129 and Vazquez coming in at .185.
Swihart? We don't really know how he would translate offensively.
The switch-hitter has accumulated just 20 at-bats, notching three hits (.150), still not playing a single inning at backstop. Swihart did, however, show tremendous potential throughout spring training, notching three homers and seven doubles in Grapefruit League play.
The problem, of course, is that Swihart is out of options, leaving him as the last position player on the 25-man roster and basically relegated to filling in as an outfielder or pinch-runner.
"It's a tough one," Cora said of Swihart's plight. "In a perfect world we keep developing him and getting at-bats. As you know, that's his strength, the offense. He's not getting at-bats. But this is the reality of it. He knows he keeps getting prepared. We keep trying to find ways to put him out there and make it as easy as possible. It's not easy. I've been saying it from the get-go."
