Could Red Sox 6-Year Veteran Lose Playoff Roster Spot to Mickey Gasper?

It's quite possible only one of these two makes it...

Sep 4, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Mickey Gasper (30) looks on towards fans before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie LeBlanc-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With only 2 1/2 weeks remaining in the regular season, the Boston Red Sox have run into an awkward situation behind the plate.

Adley Rutschman's lingering injury worries are still a real storyline, as the three-time All-Star got a cortisone shot in his elbow to begin this week just after hitting a three-run home run on Monday. Rutschman is the Red Sox's clear No. 1 catcher choice and Boston paid a small fortune via trade to get him, so having him right for October is imperative.

If everyone who has made a decent-sized impact in the second half of the season gets healthy by playoff time, the Red Sox could have a tricky decision on their hands for the final roster spot in the postseason between Connor Wong and Mickey Gasper.

Would Red Sox keep Gasper over Wong?

For most of the season, the Red Sox didn't seem willing to trust Gasper behind the plate. And it still hasn't been a month since he last got called up from Triple-A. But his eight home runs since that call-up on Sept. 17 are more than Wong has hit in the last two years combined; double that amount, in fact.

Gasper has also reportedly been doing lots of extra catching drills before games, which isn't the kind of thing that guarantees a move is coming by any means, but could support that conclusion if there is other reason to think it could happen.

“Just trying to get out there and catch as much as I can,” Gasper said, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. “I haven’t heard anything. I’m just going out there when my name’s in the lineup, trying to do my part.”

At this point, there's not much hope for Wong to become anything more than a backup. Sometimes he hits for average, and he's a good athlete for a catcher, but his defense is substandard and he hasn't done anything power-wise since inexplicably hitting 13 homers two years ago.

Gasper might have to go back to his unconscious hot streaking ways if he wants to nab that last roster spot in October from Wong, as he's hit a cold streak in the last week. But to act like he doesn't stand at least a reasonable chance would be foolish.

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