Will Sandy Leon be the Red Sox starting catcher all season?
Debate the answer with Chad Finn and Boston sports fans at The Sports Q.
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What are the chances Sandy Leon keeps the starting catching job all season? He’s solid defensively, hit over .300 last year, and hit a walkoff bomb Wednesday night. Everyone thinks he’s just a placeholder for Christian Vazquez, but maybe we’re underestimating him? – Kevin O.
Well, he certainly seems intent on keeping the job, right? He had a key bunt single in the five-run fifth against Gerrit Cole in the opener, hit the three-run walkoff to win the second game, and currently is hitting .625 with a 1.750 OPS and a 480 OPS-plus, which I understand is good.
He’s also making a habit of immediately seizing any big-league chance he gets, at least over the past two seasons. He didn’t get an at-bat until June last year, but was hitting .455 in 60 plate appearances at the All-Star break.
I am skeptical that he keeps the job, though. Vazquez is an elite defender whose arm appears to have had its superpowers restored after Tommy John surgery. Blake Swihart is a 25-year-old former top-20 overall prospect who has already hit well in the major leagues and finally is no longer being jerked around by the Red Sox regarding his defensive position.
And for his stretches of offensive success over the past two seasons, Leon also has prolonged stretches of ineptitude at the plate. In 75 career games with the Nationals and Red Sox from 2013-15, he slashed .187/.258/.225. He cooled off considerably late last season, posting a .539 OPS in September and going just 1 for 10 in the postseason.
Leon is a useful player. He’s had some fun and important moments. But I still suspect last year’s offensive success was a classic case of overperformance. I think its Vazquez’s job by the All-Star break, and Swihart’s in the long run, with one or the other eventually getting traded and Leon sticking around as a backup.
What do you guys think? Bring your tools of ignorance to the comments.
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