Yankees-Red Sox Trade Could Solve Catcher Woes After Austin Wells Injury

The New York Yankees have a hole to fill at catcher with Austin Wells landing on the injured list. J.C. Escarra and Ali Sanchez aren't going to get the job done.

May 1, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) reacts during an at bat during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees have a big hole to fill in their lineup and it's time for general manager Brian Cashman to make a deal.

And no, it's not the club's Aaron Judge quandary.

On Saturday, the Yankees placed catcher Austin Wells on the 10-day injured list with cervical headaches. But even before getting hurt, Wells wasn't getting the job done. He's hitting .166 this season with four home runs and a .533 OPS in 47 games.

Backup J.C. Escarra hasn't fared much better, hitting .177 with a .493 OPS in 23 games. Ali Sanchez, a lifetime .180 hitter, made his Yankees debut Sunday, going 0-for-2 in the 6-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.

Red Sox can solve Yankees' catcher problem

And that's where this gets interesting. Because the Red Sox could hold the key to solving the Yankees' problems behind the plate.

Boston is carrying three catchers on its 26-man roster: Carlos Narvaez, Connor Wong and Mickey Gasper. The Red Sox enter play Monday in last place in the American League East, 10.5 games behind the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, who are tied atop the division.

San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) scores a run against Boston Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez (75) during the ninth inning at Fenway Park. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

"With three catchers on the big-league roster — Carlos Narváez, Connor Wong and Mickey Gasper — Boston’s surplus is drawing interest. The Red Sox are shopping Wong in particular, according to a league source," The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reports.

Would the Red Sox, who are four games back in the AL Wild Card standings, actually consider trading a catcher to their blood rivals? It's not such a silly question to ponder, because all you have to do is flash back to December 2024, when New York traded Narvaez to Boston.

Bring Narvaez back to the Bronx

The 27-year-old Narvaez flourished in his first season in Beantown, finishing sixth in voting for the AL Rookie of the Year Award after hitting .241 with 15 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .726 OPS, while drawing rave reviews for his work behind the plate.

New York Yankees catcher Carlos Narvaez (94) follows through on a single against the Tampa Bay Rays in his first MLB at bat during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

But Narvaez has fallen out of favor this year in Boston, batting just .214 in 38 games while watching Gasper and Wong see increased workloads.

Let's make a deal

So what would it take to pry Narvaez from the Red Sox? Well, all you have to do is look back at the initial trade between the clubs. Boston sent right-hander Elmer Rodriguez to New York in the Narvaez deal. Rodriguez is now the No. 2 prospect in the Yankees organization, according to MLB Pipeline.

Narvaez, who signed with the Yankees as an international free agent in 2015, isn't eligible for arbitration until 2028 and is making just $800,000 this season, according to Spotrac. But it shouldn't take a top-rated prospect like Rodriguez to get the struggling Narvaez back to the Bronx.

Another reason this trade makes too much sense for Cashman is this: the Yankees don't have a catcher among their top 30 prospects down on the farm, according to MLB Pipeline. If he wants to fix the problem behind the plate, the GM will have to look outside the organization. And if the Red Sox are willing to deal Narvaez, Cashman should place a call today to Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.