Adley Rutschman has only suited up for the Red Sox 19 times, just four of those in the last ten games, but come postseason, he’s the *only* guy expected behind the plate. Forget the “rest and recover” vibe of the regular season right now; when the calendar flips to the postseason, it’s all about winning every single game, and the Red Sox believe Rutschman is their guy, full-time.
The Postseason Schedule Changes Everything For Catchers
Think about a playoff run for a minute. Even if the Red Sox win both the Wild Card round in three games and the ALDS in five games, the schedule is surprisingly packed with off-days. We’re talking September 28th as an off-day, then games on the 29th, 30th, and October 1st, followed by *another* off-day on October 2nd. Then the ALDS kicks off October 3rd, with off-days peppered throughout: October 4th, 6th, and 9th, even if the series goes the distance to Game 5 on October 10th. There’s even a scenario where they hit Game 1 of the ALCS with nine off-days in the preceding two weeks! What does that mean? It means the need for a catcher to split time and give the main guy a breather practically vanishes. The games get more important, but the workload on a single catcher becomes completely manageable with all that built-in rest.
Connor Wong’s Role Disappears, Mickey Gasper Steps Up
So, if Rutschman is playing almost every inning behind the dish, what happens to the backup catcher spot? Right now, Connor Wong is getting starts to rest the main guy, but that role just won’t exist by the end of the month. The Red Sox need an “in case of emergency, break glass” kind of catcher for the postseason. This isn’t about starting half the games; it’s about having someone who can swing the bat and be useful in other spots, and only catches if there’s a ten-run blowout or an injury late in a game. And guess who just showed he might be that exact guy? Mickey Gasper. In a mostly forgettable, rainy game at Fenway on September 7th, where the Sox fell behind 6-0 early, Gasper started behind the plate and caught all nine innings. That performance, in a game competing with the Patriots opener for attention, adds serious evidence to the theory that he’s the perfect fit for that critical, yet infrequent, postseason backup role.
The Red Sox are clearly shifting gears, prioritizing a different kind of backup catcher as the regular season winds down. With the postseason looming, the question for Boston isn’t just about *who* is behind the plate, but *why* they’re there. Mickey Gasper’s recent outing makes him a strong contender for a spot that’s suddenly all about emergency readiness rather than regular rest. It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out as they get closer to October baseball.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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