Red Sox Swing Trade For Intriguing Giants Lefty Bat At Position Of Need

The Boston Red Sox made their bet on Connor Wong as the starting catcher, but having more insurance is never a bad idea.

May 12, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Blake Sabol (21) is hit by a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds during the fourth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

When the Red Sox acquired Garrett Crochet in this winter's blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox, they sent top catching prospect Kyle Teel back in the return. That effectively ensured that Wong would keep the starting job for the 2025 season, but no catcher can play all 162 games anymore.

The primary backup is slated to be Carlos Narvaez, who the Red Sox acquired from the New York Yankees on the same day they made the Crochet deal. But now, there's another intriguing option in the mix.

On Wednesday, the Red Sox traded for catcher/outfielder Blake Sabol from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for international signing bonus pool space. Right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart was designated for assignment to make room for Sabol on the 40-man roster.

Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster was the first to report the news of the trade.

Sabol, 27, was DFA'd by the Giants himself earlier this week. He spent most of the 2024 season in Triple-A, but got a decent chunk of major league playing time in 2023, slashing .235/.301/.394 in 344 plate appearances.

A left-handed batter, Sabol would be a more traditional platoon partner for Wong than Narvaez, but that's of less importance considering that the righty Wong would still face most right-handed pitchers.

Sabol is not regarded as a good defensive catcher, especially when it comes to blocking, but he's a serviceable framer with a solid arm. He also has two minor-league options if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster.

Depth moves are important, and Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has made a bunch of them this winter. We'll see if this one has any impact on the way the 2025 season unfolds.