Recent MLB All-Star fan voting has reflected a pattern of clear Boston Red Sox All-Stars missing out on the respect they deserve. Jarren Duran was the victim in 2024 — he didn't rank among the top nine outfielders in the American League despite his .284/.342/.483 first half slash line and elite defense.
This year, Carlos Narváez takes home Boston's biggest snub. The rookie catcher has been one of the best, yet most unexpected performers on the Red Sox roster this year, but came in ninth place among AL catchers.
Narváez is slashing .268/.349/.431 with 16 doubles, six homers and 23 RBI over 61 games this season. His defense has also been elite. He's logged 10 blocks above average, which ranks in the 98th percentile. He sits in the 91st percentile in framing and he leads the league with six runners caught stealing above average.
There's a solid argument for Narváez being one of the best catchers in the AL this year, behind the clear No. 1 and MVP candidate, Cal Raleigh. But a bunch of lesser candidates ranked above him, including division rivals Austin Wells of the Yankees and Orioles' Adley Rutschman. Wells and Rutschman are slashing .217/.278/.429 and .227/.319/.372, respectively, and both have been far worse defensively than Narváez. The only category in which even one of them compares is Wells' framing skill, which ranks in the 96th percentile.
Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez snubbed in first round of All-Star fan voting
Full Results from Phase 1 of MLB All-Star Voting pic.twitter.com/kHiinW9pNE
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 26, 2025
Alejandro Kik is also deserving of second place, though. Kirk is batting .313/.356/.433 this season and he ranks in the 97th percentile or above in blocks above average, caught stealing above average and framing.
After the Rafael Devers trade, Narváez felt like the Red Sox's only sure-fire All-Star. Devers is a perennial candidate, but rarely did he secure the nod as the starting third baseman with Jose Ramirez and Alex Bregman in the AL. This year, he had an easy case for starting designated hitter in the AL, but the Red Sox traded him across the country and sacrificed their season in the process.
Narváez's status as a rookie with less name recognition probably hurt his case in the running, but he undoubtedly deserves more recognition than he got. Bregman advanced to the second stage of All-Star voting despite being injured and recent reports that he won't be reinstated until after the break. If not Bregman or Narváez, it will be interesting to see who Boston's All-Star representative will be.