The trade deadline has come and gone, and the Boston Red Sox didn't add another catcher. A backup catcher was more of a secondary need for Boston, but it could definitely use a lift behind the plate as Carlos Narváez's workload piles up.
The Red Sox can no longer trade for backstop reinforcements, but they could sign a free agent or pick someone up off waivers. Longtime Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes just became available after he was released by the San Francisco Giants on August 1.
The Dodgers designated Barnes for assignment on May 14 to promote top catching prospect Dalton Rushing. Barnes played all 11 seasons of his major league career with Los Angeles, and he was in the final season of a two-year contract extension when it cut him loose.
Barnes had been a glove-first backup catcher in the Dodgers organization for most of his career — Will Smith was, by far, their better option at the plate. Barnes clocked nine hits in 13 games with LA before he was DFA'd, which works out to a .214/.233/.286 slash line. He fanned 14 times and walked once. He slashed .212/.297/.212 over 10 games with Triple-A Sacramento.
Red Sox could sign recently-released former Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes as depth option
In recent seasons behind the plate, Barnes has ranked above or near the league average in blocks above average and framing. He didn't get enough playing time in the big leagues to log statistics for 2025, but he ranked in the 85th percentile with five blocks above average and in the 53rd percentile in framing last season. Barnes is slow on his feet, though, with lower quartile pop time and sprint speed and just an eighth percentile caught stealing rate.
Barnes' offensive stats don't jump off the page, but they're better than Wong's have been in more than twice as many games. Wong is slashing .162/.241/.182 with just two extra base hits and two RBI in 39 games. The former Dodgers prospect had an early stint on the IL with a fractured pinky finger this season, which explains part of his minimal playing time, but Narváez has deserved the vast majority of the starts behind the plate this season.
Like Barnes, Wong also ranks around the league average in framing, but the Sox catcher struggles where Barnes excels, and vice versa. Wong ranks in the 23rd percentile in blocks above average, the 71st in caught stealing above average, and the 41st in pop time.
Based on the reports of Craig Breslow's activity, the Red Sox didn't pursue any catchers at the trade deadline. The team may have no intention to replace Wong as the backup, but it should have another capable option as depth in case something happens to either of their current ones.