Red Sox Predicted To Replace Connor Wong; Phillies $115M Star Floated As Trade Fit

Is catcher the Red Sox's Achilles Heel?

Sep 12, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Connor Wong (12) runs out a double against the New York Yankees during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Connor Wong is under a surprising amount of pressure for a player the Boston Red Sox expect to hit at the bottom of their lineup.

Wong seized the starting job on a full-time basis for the first time in 2024, thanks to a mini-breakout season at the plate. But he still looked to be a temporary solution, while the team was grooming top prospect Kyle Teel to eventually take over his job.

Fast forward to March, and Teel plays for the Chicago White Sox, which helped Boston land new superstar pitcher Garrett Crochet. It was a move the Red Sox were largely applauded for making, but it suddenly thrust the 28-year-old Wong under a microscope.

Will Wong survive the full 2025 season as the Red Sox's starter? One insider doesn't believe that will be the case.

On Wednesday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive predicted that the Red Sox would find a replacement for Wong at some point this season, floating Philadelphia Phillies three-time All-Star J.T. Realmuto as a candidate to arrive in Boston via trade.

"Boston acquires a catcher at the deadline, potentially Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto," Cotillo wrote.

Realmuto, 34, would be a pure rental. He's making $23.875 million this season, the final installment of a five-year, $115 million extension. And though he hasn't been at All-Star level for the past few seasons, he still put up 3.0 WAR in just 99 games last season, posting a 109 OPS+.

The main difference between Realmuto and Wong is defense. And that's a massive piece of the puzzle at catcher, one of the most important defensive positions in the game. Realmuto is a better framer, blocker, and thrower, all of which could save the Red Sox games at some point this season.

Would Boston really decimate the farm for an expensive rental in his mid-thirties? How Wong plays early in the season, and whether he looks primed to avoid a second-half slide this time around, could determine the answer.

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