The Red Sox have designated catcher Blake Swihart for assignment, as first reported by Evan Drellich of WEEI.com (Twitter link). In his place, Sandy Leon is heading back onto the MLB roster, as Jon Heyman of MLB Network was first to tweet.
Struggling out of the gates, the defending champs have decided upon a change behind the dish. The considerations are familiar; they were weighed just weeks ago when Leon was outrighted in favor of Swihart. This move, then, constitutes a mulligan of sorts.
Swihart wasn’t off to an inspirational start at the plate, with a .231/.310/.385 slash, but it seems likely that the move was driven primarily by the club’s broader pitching issues. The Boston staff has been among the worst in all of baseball thus far. While that reflects quite a bit more than Swihart’s own performance behind the dish, the organization obviously feels it has something to gain in that regard by switching things up.
Leon was stashed down at Triple-A after clearing waivers late in camp. He lacks Swihart’s abilities on offense but is lauded for his glovework and game management skills. He had teamed with Christian Vazquez to form a defensive-oriented backstop combination in recent years, but the club opted to give Swihart a run at the position to open the season after utilizing him in a utility role last year.
The move potentially means jettisoning the upside and cheap control embodied in the control rights over Swihart. He’s earning $910K this year as a Super Two player and comes with three further arbitration-eligible campaigns. Long lauded as a potential impact bat that can line up behind the dish, those predictions haven’t yet come to fruition. Over 626 career MLB plate appearances, Swihart owns a .255/.314/.365 slash line.
Teams that believe in the bat may well give Swihart a chance at a lengthier run of consistent playing time. That could come via trade or waiver claim. If no team is interested in carrying the out-of-options 27-year-old on its active roster and he clears waivers, the Red Sox will have a chance to stash him back at Triple-A.
WHATT?????????????????
Agreed.
This almost doesn’t make sense. He’s out hitting vaz, and, the rotations hasn’t fared any better under vaz either.
Has to be more to this story…
Vazquez is signed and yesterday looked better than expected at second. I would have sent down a reliever and carry 3 catchers but love having Leon back.
Blake can play second.
This is such BS. Swihart wasn’t the problem, the pitchers not building up any workload in the spring was the problem. They have a winning record in the games he started!
I’m fine with that strategy to baby the pitchers b/c of the workload last October but to blame Swihart?? This makes ZERO sense. Why carry him all of last year, designate Sandy and then change course two weeks into the season? This is a terrible, terrible sign about feuding within the Red Sox front office and coaching staff. You’re telling me if Sandy was claimed or elected free agency that they still have done this?
Disgraceful.
Whatever the reason, the starters have been awful for the most part. Leon is catching Sale tonight.
The only thing that is disgraceful is the teams performance… Betts should be back at lead off as well.. The wheel wasn’t broken. Why fix it?
Why is this a sign of feuding? it looks to me like:
* They wanted to give Swihart a shot, since he’d have been claimed, and Leon was 50/50 to go through.
* After a while, you need to make a decision. Pure guess is that they asked the pitching staff who they preferred on the team, and they probably, 100%, all said Leon.
I would agree with you if this move was made in June. He only started 8(!) games. That’s nothing
Disgraceful? What has Swihart done in his career to show he belongs on the roster?
Disgraceful that Dombrowski couldn’t deal any of these 3 catchers for a pitcher or prospect last offseason and has carried this issue from last year into this one!
It was only a couple of years ago that Swihart was considered the “untouchable” future superstar prospect by the Sox. Obviously, they aren’t confident that he can or will live up to their expectations. Unfortunately, it happens all the time.
What has Leon done? Hit .200?
Maybe going back to what worked last year with their catching combo? Maybe they figure Swihart’s offense is not enough to cancel out the defense
@walls
Problem is, swihart has had better defense than vazquez so far in addition to the offense
I don’t agree with their decision but I’m trying to see their thinking
@altsoxfan
they aren’t cutting Vazquez because he’s owed a hell of a lot more cash, and he’s garunteed money for more than just this year
Swihart is still a man without a position. He’s not good enough to be a catcher and can’t really help anywhere else, either.
Oh, he also can’t hit.
He’s also not signed like Vazquez.
He can play second base better that Petey.
Johnny Pesky can probably play a better 2B than Pedey at this point.
Thought you died
And here come the Yankee trolls I think you should worry about your team little Mikey.
No there doesn’t The two pitchers who praised Leon to the skies, Porcello and Sale, are off to horrible starts. This Doug Mirabelli all over again!
It makes perfect sense. Why on earth do you break up a catching duo who won 108 games and a championship last year? Leon hit .177 last year and they won it all. Defense, handling of pitchers, and the pitcher’s confidence in their catcher is everything. Leon’s had the lowest ERA (3.51) working with pitchers in the American League since 2015 and you send him down?? Dumbest move! It just proves that anyone on here can be a Red Sox GM.
Wow! The only year this guy really got any playing time was his rookie season. Sandy Leon can hardly hit his way out of a wet paper bag. This one might come back to haunt them.
Sandy
I guess they’re hoping Leon can help this staff.
he helped them last year and sale prefers to work with him
Doesn’t matter who is catching sale’s 91 MPH beach balls. If he doesn’t get his arm back you can forget about it.
He can’t hurt it
Why that’s stupid
About time
Years ago it was said that Red Sox pitchers don’t like pitching to him that must still be the case
Probably so
The Red Sox legend is finally gone?
you swung!
They gave him his shot, I didn’t think he was terrible but something has to be done about the rotation results
Red sox are 5-5 in games swihart played in.
In games swihart caught 5 or more innings, red sox are 4-2, with one of those losses being the 5-6 loss to Seattle March 30th, in which the combat fell just short.
I get that sox are looking to shake things up, but, appear to be DFA the wrong guy
This guy is almost as overvalued to Red Sox fans as Tyler Austin was with Yankees fans.
I don’t think yankee fans ever hyped up Tyler Austin. He was always viewed as a bench bat by most except for when he homered in his first game and after the fight vs Boston last year
I remember when Tyler Austin was one of the “Baby Bombers”. Yes, he was hyped heavily. However, I think he will be better when he plays full time.
Or Manny Banuelos
Every team overhypes their prospects. Remember Lars Anderson? At least the Sox traded him to Cleveland for Wright.
No kidding, I threw out an out of options swap of Swihart for Mike Mayer’s of the Cards last off-season and was burned at the stake. He’s no longer a top prospect guys.
This is the same player the Red Sox placed a high asking price on? There has to be more to the story.
Anaheim finally caved and are sending Trout and Ohtani and are paying all of Trout’s contract.
wow a real steal for the angels
Didn’t get much of an opportunity at all. 5 years in the bigs and 1 whole seasons worth of ABs. Good luck to him, the talent may show through with actual opportunity but at least he has a ring
I’m sure Theo is already on phone telling him how wonderful the north side of Chicago is
Yankees could use a guy that plays everywhere at this point.
They probably do. Is Holt available though?
Leon was hitting like .100 at Pawtucket. Saw 2 of their games and he didn’t look any better than did last year with Boston. Must be his game calling as a way to shake up the rotation.
Nice if Chavis follows soon..
Being DFA’d doesn’t mean released OR on waivers….Sox will get something for him, if for no other reason he’s a switch hitter with multi-posistional (including catcher) capabilities……
But no, they won’t get much……
He will be on waivers. They got 7 days to release him, trade him or assign him if he accepts a demotion if he doesn’t get claimed
He will be traded before being claimed
I believe he has to clear waivers before being traded
Nope. That’s only during August (and August trades are gone now)
Just like Leon was right?
You arent really multi positional when you are bad a tg your primary position.
But hitting right handed he has totally sucked….and teams know it. But this team needs shaking up…
And Leon is going to hit better?
First Greg Bird goes on the IL, and now this. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Can’t believe they’d DFA a future Hall of Famer like Swihart. Understandable if he was being replaced by Refsnyder.
LMAO>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Future hall of famer DFA’d!
Not every day you get the chance to claim a future Hall of Famer on waivers.
But at the risk of sounding like bigpapi4ever, my Padres don’t need him as long as Austin Hedges and Francisco Mejia are in town.
You never know. Swihart can play second and LF and bats Left Handed, something that if you’ve watched the first handful of games, SD is lacking. Hosmer has been awful from the Left side, Jankowski is hurt, Cordero is hurt, Garcia doesn’t get opportunities and Mejia plays once or twice a week. There is no LHH presence in the lineup currently.
The Padres could use Swihart if they were creative how they use him. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind Mejia going to El Paso and getting regular AB’s as well, it’s hard as a young guy to stay fresh when you get no playing time. When one of Hedges or Swihart struggle you can bring up Mejia if he is hitting in AAA.
Oh and Kinsler + Urias have been really bad so far as well.
Swihart is a catcher. Period.
Swihart has played less than 1 full game at 2nd. Swihart plays no defensive position well enough to play there every day. He’s a switch hitter, not a lefty bat.
Right, but the way teams shift now with how strong the Padres infield is, I could see them giving it a shot here and there, he would primarily play LF occasionally and spell Hedges.
I think that was the allure to Mejia all along was because of the defensive versatility he came with.
The Padres lost a game last night because they didn’t have a potent LHH to go to with the tying run at the plate in the 9th, Kinsler should NEVER be used as a pitch hitter against Wade Davis. The reason why Mejia wasn’t used was because “Incase Kinsler homered, he might be needed to catch extra innings”. Gotta get there first. Let Mejia play. He makes no sense on this team at his age if he isn’t gonna play like Tatis or Urias.
No, the allure with Mejia was the bat. And he offers as much defensive versatility as I do.
Check out his right handed avg? It sucks
In the scenario bleacherbum is describing, the Padres wouldn’t need him to bat right-handed.
Granted I’ve had just about enough with them playing guys out of position.
He’ll be traded for one ball (not even a bag full). That said, it would not surprise me if he is successful elsewhere. Such is defined in my book by getting playing time and then staying in the lineup
The last thing swihart needs to go to another F’d situation like he has in Boston the last couple of years. He needs to go somewhere and play. Not get 1 start every 2 weeks and play 8 different positions. SD is a bad fit.
*Honk* *Honk*
Red sox are:
5-5 in games swihart played in
3-9 in games vazquez played in
In games swihart caught 5 or more innings, red sox are 4-2, with one of those losses being the 5-6 loss to Seattle March 30th, in which the combat fell just short.
In games vazquez caught 5 or more, sox again at 3-9, with one of those wins the sox pulling ahead in the 9th on the road, where swihart PH for the inept vazquez, Swihart got on base, and came home on a moreland HR that put the sox over the top 7-6 after Vaz staked the Sox to a 6-3 deficit with his “game calling ability”…
I get that sox are looking to shake things up, but, appear to be DFA the wrong guy here. Sox may be about to turn things around with the rotation finally logging the spring it needed, but, MAN, it should be vazquez with his butt on the curb.
You get an F in math – look at the team’s record and correct your errors on the catchers’ records.
As for combat, perhaps the Red Sox should go CO. Oh, I guess they have.
As a lifelong fan of over 5 decades, and despite recent successes, I’m really starting to dislike this team’s management. But that pretty much goes for all of MLB – ruining the national pastime one day at a time.
Swihart caught in 8 games
Vazquez caught in 10 games
8 + 10 = 18
5-5 in games Swihart was in, 3-9 in games Vazquez was in.
5 + 5 + 3 + 9 = 22
That is a 3 game difference – and those 3 games are March 29th, March 30th and April 4th when both were behind the plate at some point.
So maybe it is your math that is off?
Vazquez caught 11, and 8+11 = 19. 22-19 = 3.
Typo on my post got carried haha. Math correct though
My only error and overlap was failing to account for 2 out of position games, one each player. My deductions and reasoning remain the same, but you don’t have any defense arguement on the merits so feel free to use personal attacks if it makes you feel better about yourself.
laying time and results for 2019:
Swihart has:
3/30 8 innings (L)
4/3 9 innings (W)
4/5 8 innings (L)
4/7 9 innings (W)
4/11 9 innings (W)
4/15 9 innings (L)
Counting all games of 8 or 9 innings, the sox were outscored 38-28, a -10 differential, giving up 6.33 runs against.
Vazquez has:
3/28, 3/29, 3/31, 4/1, 4/2 where he appeared for 8 innings each game. 4 losses, 1 win. Sox outscored 36-19 for a -17 differential.
4/4 was 7 innings in a loss, 3-7.
4/6 was 8.2 innings in a loss, 4-5.
4/9, and 4/12 – 4/14 vazquez appeared 9 innings per. 2W, 2L. Runs scored a push at 20-20.
For the season, sox outscored 68-46 in vazquez’s games, a -22 differential, and a 6.33 runs per game allowed.
Difference between swihart’s runs allowed and vazquez’s? The weighted record of opponents.
So no, vaz is an overpaid, over hyped, underperforming has been who, unfortunately, was not the DFA in the scheme to mix things up.
In 2016 when Swihart got to start the season as catcher the pitching was terrible. He was demoted to AAA and the staff improved.
Takes more than just hitting to be a good catcher. Gotta control that staff.
He can start his clock to his surefure hall of Fame vote now.
Vinny you’re just a boring Yankee hack.
Vinny is far from a Yankee hack.
In games swihart got the start/logged 5+ this season the sox have a .667 record. In games vazquez did the same the sox have a .250 record.
Soooo…. who’s the better game caller here?
Vazquez
Based on???
Why do people who watch baseball games not understand small sample sizes?
Sadly for the Sox, there was a time Oakland would have given them something nontrivial for Swihart.
Swihart will be traded to the Cubs in 3…2…1
Catcher ERA is a useless stat also. It’s going to improve with Swihart gone, not because of any catcher improvement but because the Red Sox pitching staff is not as bad as they currently are. But Leon will get the credit anyways.
I’m not even a Red Sox but this move just baffles me
Braves should take a flier on him
BY FAR THE STUPIDEST THING THEY HAVE DONE in 2019!. oh wait eovaldi $64M, oh wait SALE with 9.00 ERA and $125M who plays 5/8 of a year. Porcello – $20M. – waive him. now as you have guys in minors who could pitch better How’s that $20M /year Mookie doing or is he focused on bowling for dollars? 220 Avg. and watching balls drop in the outfield Why not waive JBJ? what’s he hitting? 0.150?.$8.5M/year. What’s PEDEY hitting? Should still be rehabbing in the minors as he can’t play full time yet. What’s Nunez/Holt/Pearce hitting? Now we get light hitting SANDY back. I like Sandy for defensive replacement only or being replaced by the 5th inning. Nice stinking job Red Sox Mgmt. Pi$$ed at the highest payroll in baseball. for making a VERY POOR decision
That’s quite a rant, but, frankly, I’m sick of everyone you mentioned there! I feel like this team is screaming for change, it needs to become the next thing after last year’s WS winners, it needs to be the next club, not the holdovers, the extensions, the sentimental brotherhood ad nauseum. And yet, DFA’ing Swihart is not how I would have started.
Evidently you choose to totally ignore Sandy Leon has quarterbacked as an American League catcher the lowest ERA (3.51) since 2015 of any catcher catching 100 games. That means NOTHING to you. The CONFIDENCE Chris Sale, Rick Porcello and others have in Sandy Leon means NOTHING to you. The fact that Leon and Vazquez as a tandem won 108 games and a championship last year means NOTHING to you. I don’t give a rat’s behind if Leon hits .200 every year. He is an excellent major league catcher and by the way Blake hit what so far this year…231?? Glad I’m not hiring you for a position.
Sent to the Cubs for a minor leaguer of no consequence
You look at the Cubs minors? Yuk
A move to the Cubs is likely, but as mentioned it isn’t like the Cubs have oodles of prospects the Red Sox would be interested in, especially pitching. Maybe they just switch Caratini and Swihart.
Leon is gonna be catching Sale tonight as if Leon alone can get Sale to fix his velocity issues. You think Sale personally requested Sale being back? He said he feels uncomfortable out there
Biggest issue is his slider. The fastball will come up. But he’s gotta have the slider to be who he is.
Swihart was the reason for the pitching issues in Boston? That is one terrible catcher. Lol
someone has to be the scapegoat
Kids, today’s word is “SCAPEGOAT.”
Can you use it in a sentence????
This! Definitely today’s word of the day!
Francisco Cervelli is available….for the past 3 years.
With Cubs backup catcher Victor Caratini out until June I wouldn’t be surprised to see Blake Swihart’s former boss Theo Epstein take a flyer on his former #1 Red Sox draft pick from 2011.
Epstein wasn’t hired until 2002. Dan Duquette drafted Swihart.
you better go back and do some research noahnoahr
Epstein oversaw his last June Draft with the Red Sox in 2011. He was hired to run the Cubs the following October.
If Duquette drafted Swihart he’d be pushing 40. Doubt Swihart was drafted before 9/11.
Vazquez: the catcher who lived
“Long lauded as a potential impact bat that can line up behind the dish,” Made milk come out my nose Mr. Todd. When was Swihart considered an “impact bat”? 2015? David Ortiz WAS an impact bat back then, that’s how long it’s been..
Potential
Wrong again! It was 2014. I never understood that. He was always a quality prospect, but mostly because it was hoped that he would develop into a mediocre defensive catcher with a plus bat. But he only had one good offensive year in 2014, with a .840 OPS. And that doomed him. He needed to hit a lot more than Vazquez & Leon. He was better, but a career .676 OPS just doesn’t cut it.
Oh well, we move on.
It’s not as if prospects don’t bust everyday. He was lauded as an impact bat despite never really hitting in the minors. Another guy who has had the same billing is Austin meadows. He’s long been a hyped prospect without putting up the minor league numbers. Looks like it’s coming together for him so far. It’s a prospect not a guarantee.
IIRC Meadows was injured all the time but played up to the billing when he wasn’t injured.
I loved that trade for TB, aka, it made me sick as a RS fan. Three high-potential prospects, 2 of whom have had at least some modest experience at the time of the trade.
Glasnow had a 3.63 FIP that year with PT, and a 11.6/5.5 K/W. Not ideal, but not so bad they he wouldn’t make a #4/5, with a high ceiling. Meadows had a .795 OPS with PT, and solid minor league numbers. The K/W was only modestly high, but he was also young for his minor league levels.
He might become a late bloomer like JD and become a good hitter. But as for “potential”? That title was lost years ago.
Let’s just ignore that the majority of poor starts by the starters have come with Vazquez behind the plate and blame Swihart for the pitchers not doing their job.
LOL
A catcher that can’t hit or field his position. Ya, teams will be lining up around the corner!!
I watched the game yesterday, and Swihart’s glovework behind the plate looked bad to me. Several times what should have been a strike was called a ball
The umpire was consistently tight on both BOS Hector Velazquez and on BAL Dan Stailey but I thought the umpire was squeezing both BOS Rick Porcello and BAL Andrew Cashner even more Saturday when Christian Vazquez was the BOS C.
Somebody tie Farhan to a chair
Hopefully he is the last of overrated big market prospects. I do think the people who organize these lists have done a good job in the last few years looking at everybody the same.
I don’t think we had a single prospect in the top-100 last year, so whoever made the list, couldn’t have overrated our prospects.
LeBron.ItsAboutDamnTime.gif
At this point I hope they just trade him, if they can get a reliever like Brewer(raw, untested arm) I’ll be happy.
Swihart has promise but not Boston. He needs a fresh start and a fair chance and commit to a role.
That’s about right. He’s a good choice for teams like Miami, TO, BA, etc. Even if he is horrible, and extra two losses are meaningless.
Hope the A’s can get in on him. Hundley is just below average across the board and Hermann will not provide anyhing more than that either.
Gives Phegley the full-time job with Swihart spelling him at times, and being a corner outfielder when he isn’t. Keeps Pinder in the IF mostly (where he should be).
Would rather roster Swihart than Grossman, that’s for sure..
Things looking sloppy so far for the Sox.
Delicious.
This team looks like the are sleepwalking. Uninspired play all around. Cute moves like Vasquez at 2nd and a 6 man rotation are ridiculous. The pen is already overtaxed, Just painful to watch. They need a kick in the pants.
It’s obvious that the Red Sox starters just aren’t comfortable pitching to Swihart. I think it’s BS and they will probably pitch better just because they can’t be any worse but it feels a lot like 2016 when Swi got very little chance and then demoted as a scapegoat for the crappy start by the staters. Oh well good luck Swi hopefully you put it together somewhere like Oakland or Arizona.
It would make a lot of sense if the Royals took a shot on him in a backup capacity.
Blake Swihart fits the LAD type player. He’s very versatile.
Except he can’t frame, and is not good enough defensively to justify what he’s done offensively. He makes zero sense in LA without options.
He won’t make it that far in the waiver process. I’m guessing the latest he goes is Detroit he won’t make it past them.
I would love to see this guy given a good run of consistant ABs and a constant position. He may be one of those kinds who reacts well to routine.
He’ll catch on somewhere. Get the Sox a lottery ticket in the process. Plenty of intrigue here.
I’m with you Bruin! Swihart hasn’t deserved the way he’s been crapped on. Other than 2015 he’s never been given a real chance. I hope he can hook on with a team that gives him the opportunity to play regularly. And as for these high paid crybaby pitchers, it’s sure easy to complain about and point their finger at Blake, than to look in the mirror. I’d like to know if this is purely a management decision, or if there is coercion is involved from starting pitchers. A Boston fan since 67, nowIm going to spend my time watching Milwaukee.
Okay, suppose all 5 starters came into Cora’s office and said they’d prefer to have Leon start instead of Swihart. Is that an issue? And if it is, why?
Does that mean someone can claim Blake Swihart? I thought someone would’ve claimed Sandy Leon last month but I was very surprised and very wrong so I won’t make any predictions on Blake.
Did you just see that smash hit by Leon? Almost made it out of the infield.
Sox trail Yankees 1-0. Must be Swihart’s fault. Oh, wait. He’s not playing for them anymore.
Apparently it was the right move! Sandy has increased Sales fastball by 5 miles an hour. When Sale doesn’t like uniforms he cuts them up, catchers he gets DFAd!
Probably. IMHO, if it was only Sale, then Sale has to figure it out. But he is not the only one consistently singing Leon’s praises. I’d bet the entire rotation would prefer Leon in the lineup.
Only 4-0. Big improvement.
Wow down 4 – 0 with the great difference maker Sandy Leon already 0-3. Great DFA – not!
Sandy Leon was pounding the door down with his .120/.154/.120 triple slash at AAA to start the season.
Now 7-0. Must be Swihart’s fault. Nice addition to the pitching staff. Only three runs allowed this inning so far.. 27.00 ERA.
I hope they don’t win another game this year, and Im a fan!!
Tribe should seriously consider Swihart. The tandem of Perez and Plawecki is an offensive nightmare. At least Swihart has a decent stick.
8 – 0. The great Sandy Leon. 0 – 3 with 2
Ks and 1 error. The great Erasmo 4 runs and 2 homers off a depleted Yankee lineup. The great Mookie 0 for 100 and Chris Sale ERA north of the North Pole. Like someone said here “ but it’s Blake Swihart who is the problem” hmmmm.
Already turning on Mookie? The RSN is so full of band wagon fans that it is hard to believe.
Dana the pitching coach is next to go and possibly the hitting coach – the Latino movement?
0-3, 2k, and a throwing error to pair with 4 ER in 5 innings by sale, with 8 ER in 8 innings total.
Whew, what an improvement we saw tonight having leon back behind the plate right?
One-game sample? Seriously?
Hey, Alex Cora! Thanks for 2018! The Donald has an opening in Fema you should take.
Hey Dave Dombrowski! Thanks for 2018! You should call it a career! Anyone could have done it with the right amount of money and tradeable farm talent.
Hey John Henry! Thanks for 2018! Stop embarrassing your fan base, and hang onto some of your money. Put together an organization that can develop young talent instead of wasting it.
Watch out….the anti-owner fanbase on this site will come after you for saying Henry should save money!
Hey Yankee Fan! Thanks for your contribution! We poor Red sox fans will have to make do with wearing our WS sweatshirts, despite a lousy manager, lousy GM, and lousy owner.
But just remember, we’re laughing at you, not with you.
It’s seems like any number of non-contending teams would want him. 623 PA in almost 3 years of service time is nothing. Boston never really gave him a chance. But then again, with that roster it didn’t make sense to.
Get a good game from your starter, Bullpen fails to hold lead.
Sox record since Leon’s recall 0-2. Move really fired up the team.
The Chosen One has been DFA’d! Wow
Swihart has been dealt to Arizona for a minor league outfielder. The Sox also gave some of their international pool money.