Behind the scenes of their many pitching additions, the Boston Red Sox have been exploring an upgrade to their catching tandem. They considered signing J.T. Realmuto before his return to the Philadelphia Phillies and even checked in with Victor Caratini before he signed with the Minnesota Twins.
In his January 18 column, Sean McAdam of MassLive reported that the Sox have sought a catching upgrade since last season (subscription required). Realmuto and Caratini weren't Boston's only two targets and it may still trade for a backstop.
McAdam reports that the Red Sox have been in contact with the Los Angeles Dodgers about a trade for Dalton Rushing. The report did not contain the status of the negotiations, if any have occurred this offseason or if they are ongoing.
The Red Sox seek a backup catching upgrade to pair with Carlos Narváez and McAdam described Connor Wong's hold on the backup catching spot as "tenuous." Wong, one of the returns in the Mookie Betts trade with the Dodgers, posted a breakout campaign at the plate in 2024 but regressed last season. In fairness, Wong fractured his hand in April, which is when Narváez emerged as Boston's clear primary catcher.
Red Sox have been considering catching upgrades since the summer and they've discussed a trade for former Dodgers top prospect Dalton Rushing
Rushing, the Dodgers' No. 1 prospect during the 2024 season, could be a capable catching option behind Narváez. The soon-to-be 25 year old didn't perform well at the plate during his first appearance in the big leagues in 2025 — he batted .204/.258/.324 with a .582 OPS, 58 strikeouts and 10 walks over 53 games. More big league experience should help him cut down on his strikeouts and he's flashed a keen eye at the plate in the minor leagues. Rushing posted a .314/.436/.517 slash line and .953 OPS over 35 games in Triple-A last season.
Rushing struggled with blocking (-4 blocks above average) and framing (24th percentile) during his first stint in the majors. Wong has a history of poor defense, so if Rushing represents an upgrade at the plate, it could make sense to move on.
The Red Sox's history of trades with the Dodgers hasn't been great. It's safe to say they were fleeced in the Betts trade as Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs and Wong did not become the players Boston hoped they'd be. The Dustin May trade is the latest robbery conducted by the Dodgers, who had the Red Sox send them two top outfield prospects, including James Tibbs III, one of the Sox's returns in the Rafael Devers trade, for a DFA candidate. Boston should only take the leap on a Rushing trade if it's confident in his abilities in the big leagues, which is easier said than done.
Earlier this offseason, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow admitted his confidence that Wong will bounce back to match his 2024 success at the plate this coming season, suggesting a catcher trade isn't guaranteed. Rushing could be a risky upgrade given his shaky defense and the Dodgers' tendency to rob the Red Sox blind, but he's still young and will improve with more experience.