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Red Sox Star Opens Up About Surprising Shift In Playing Time
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- Red Sox Star Opens Up About Surprising Shift In Playing Time
Red Sox Star Opens Up About Surprising Shift In Playing Time originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
This hasn't been a fun season for many Boston Red Sox players, Carlos Narváez included.
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It's been a tough season for Narváez, who's taken a major step back from his strong 2025 rookie season. After hitting 15 home runs with 50 RBI, a .706 OPS and 2.8 WAR last year, he has just two homers, three RBI, a .603 OPS and -0.1 WAR this season.
On top of that, he was mysteriously benched by Alex Cora early in the season. More recently, he's lost playing time to Mickey Gasper , who's given the Red Sox an offensive spark and started their last two games against the New York Yankees .
It hasn't been easy for Narváez, but he's just doing what he can to stay ready and focused.
"It wasn't expected, I'm not going to lie, it's not easy," Narváez told Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic (subscription required). "But I've just got to be ready. Last year is last year; whatever happened, happened. It's a different year, different situation, and I've got to be a professional. I've got to be ready to play every day no matter what the situation is, just be ready."
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As a respected team leader , the 27-year-old backstop knows he needs to keep setting a good example for his teammates.
"It's not a fun spot to be with a couple days off (between games), but it is what it is," Narváez continued. "I'm a team player, I'm a leader of this team — or at least that was the case last year, and in my mind that hasn't changed. Just going to be there for whenever the team needs me, and my job is to be ready for that."
Narváez added that he hasn't spoken with interim manager Chad Tracy about his reduced playing time -- another example of poor communication from Boston's leadership .
"I haven't talked with nobody, and nobody has talked with me," he said. "But like I said, I get it, I'm a part of the team and I understand what's going on, but on my end I just have to be ready. No one is telling me anything, if something changed — clearly something changed — but I don't know, just be ready for the opportunity, and that's it."
Regardless, Narváez needs to start hitting better if he wants to earn back more of his playing time this summer.
More MLB: MLB Insider Reveals Surprising Relationship Between Red Sox Managers
