Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox, White Sox Complete Trade Sending 27-Year-Old Backstop To Chicago

The future didn't hold much for this catcher in Boston
Jackson Roberts|
Apr 11, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox third base Lenyn Sosa (50) slides safely into home plate as Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Sabol (18) misses the tag during the eighth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Apr 11, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox third base Lenyn Sosa (50) slides safely into home plate as Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Sabol (18) misses the tag during the eighth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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For the Boston Red Sox, the catching position has been one of the most intriguing storylines to follow all year.

Carlos Narváez winning the starting job and performing at borderline All-Star levels has been a huge plus. Connor Wong regressing to the point of barely remaining in the major leagues has not. And of course, Kyle Teel, once presumed to be the starter of the future, now plays for the Chicago White Sox.

So, too, does the other catcher who has started a game for the Red Sox in 2025--because Boston just traded him to Chicago.

According to the Minor League Baseball transactions log, the Red Sox traded catcher Blake Sabol to the White Sox for cash considerations on Saturday. Sabol had been in Triple-A Worcester for most of the season, but appeared in eight games for Boston at the big-league level.

After he was called up to replace Wong in April, Sabol went 2-for-16 with a double in Boston. It was his defense, though, that really stood out as an issue.

In an embarrassing 11-2 loss in Chicago against his new team, Sabol committed two errors (both catcher's interference), while the Red Sox totaled five on the night. He allowed 10 stolen bases with only one runner caught stealing, and Statcast assigned him a -1 run fielding value.

With Worcester, Sabol sported a .167/.281/.299 slash line in 43 games, with three home runs, 17 RBI, and 51 strikeouts.

Sabol was designated for assignment on Jun. 1 and outrighted back to Worcester on Jun. 5. That meant he was no longer on the 40-man roster, and not a part of the Red Sox's plans moving forward. It makes sense, then, that another team could easily acquire him for cash (which is essentially how the Red Sox got him from the San Francisco Giants in January).

The Red Sox are now left with Nathan Hickey, Seby Zavala, and Enderso Lira as catching depth at Triple-A.

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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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