FORT MYERS, Fla. -- While the recent Spring Training arrival of non-roster invite Jorge Alfaro added some drama to the Red Sox’s catching situation, manager Alex Cora on Wednesday endorsed the duo of Reese McGuire and Connor Wong.
McGuire and Wong split duties over the final two months of the 2022 season, following the Deadline trade of Christian Vázquez to the Astros. Both catchers were strong defensively, and McGuire slashed .337/.377/.500 in his 108 plate appearances following the trade.
“We were very pleased with Reese and Wonger,” said Cora. “They did an amazing job in August and September. They’re still growing, they’re still learning, and there's others [in camp] who are very interesting.”
The most interesting of the others, of course, is Alfaro, who played 82 games for the 89-win Padres last season. Alfaro’s 384 games caught in the Majors are easily the most of anyone in camp. In a career-high 130 games for the Marlins in 2019, Alfaro hit 18 homers.
Alfaro arrived in camp late due to visa issues. He will leave for a stint in early March to play for Colombia in the World Baseball Classic.
“The thing with Alfaro, he can play first, too,” said Cora. “I think that's what he's going to do for Colombia. He's going to catch, play first and DH. So the bat plays, but right now we really like our duo, you know, they're pretty good. So, let's see where we’re at by the end, but we're very pleased with them.”
The Red Sox are hoping that Alfaro can improve his receiving skills under the tutelage of catching instructor Jason Varitek.
“We have to get him up to speed on some things,” said Varitek. “He’s been receptive on some things and willing to work. We don’t want to overload him. We have long windows. Everything doesn’t have to be done by the WBC. We can’t forget what a great athlete he is and what being a Major League catcher [means for him]. We’re not going to reinvent the wheel. We’re going to try to sharpen some already really good tools.”
Cora said the team isn’t ready at this point in camp to discuss the possibility of carrying three catchers during the regular season.
Yoshida continues to impress
In the early days of live batting practice, one of the most impressive Red Sox hitters has been Masataka Yoshida, the Japanese outfielder who signed a five-year, $90 million contract in December.
“He will put the ball in play, he will walk, which is important,” said Cora. “We'll see how it translates during the season, but the more you see him, you’re like, ‘Yeah, he will hit. He will get hits.’ We saw it. It's live BP, but kind of like fighting pitches, or staying on pitches. He will stay on lefties, too. So it should be fun.”
Kenley beating the timer
New Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen, known for his slow pace between pitches during his career, continues to work hard on beating the new pitch timer during side sessions. He was ahead of it continually in live batting practice on Wednesday, and Cora didn’t see any slippage in Jansen’s stuff as he worked at a brisker pace.
“Hitters are used to him being slow. He was really good with [the pitch timer] today,” said Cora. “He got some feedback from the hitters. His stuff is legit.”
Overall, Cora has been impressed by Jansen's professionalism.
“Just the way he goes about his business and preparation. This guy is already watching video of the whole AL East, comparing his stuff with others and how it plays," said Cora. “Very professional. We are very pleased with not only what he is doing on the field but in the clubhouse and with that group. He’s one of the leaders of the team.”