Alex Cora's Praise for Red Sox Newcomer Could Spell Trouble for Connor Wong

Do we have a real roster battle?

Sep 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Did the Boston Red Sox's skipper send a hint about a veteran's job security on Saturday?

Catcher Connor Wong had a brutal season in 2025, losing his starting job and putting up a dismal .500 OPS. Carlos Narváez is the starter, but Wong's grip on the backup role seemed fairly safe coming into spring training.

However, the Red Sox bringing in non-roster invitee Matt Thaiss, a former first-rounder with six partial big-league seasons under his belt, was at least a suggestion that they weren't married to Wong. And on Saturday, manager Alex Cora made some eyebrow-raising comments.

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Does Thaiss have legitimate shot to unseat Wong?

Mar 2, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox catcher Matt Thaiss (25) singles during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

After Boston's game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, Cora noted that Thaiss had been turning heads this spring, building on some of the momentum he built from his season with the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays.

“Matty Thaiss is impressing people here," Cora said, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. "His swing is really good. He’s left-handed. He’s been able to control the pitching staff. He’s a guy who has been catching our eye.”

Thaiss had a .638 OPS in 60 games last season, and he hit just one home run, which came against the Red Sox in April.

Cora's comments don't guarantee that the Red Sox see Thaiss as a legitimate alternative to Wong; that should be established. But Healey also reported that Thaiss's minor-league deal with the Red Sox contains an upward mobility clause, which could be a significant bit of information.

That clause means that if Thaiss were to miss out on a spot on the Red Sox's 40-man roster and another team were to add him to theirs, Boston would lose him to that team if they still refused to put him on.

If the Red Sox feel it's important to keep Thaiss aroud, the only way to do so could be to make him the backup to Wong to start the season. Wong can be optioned to Triple-A and Thaiss, if the clause were to be invoked, inherently could not.