Who stands as the Boston Red Sox’s top catcher? This remains a compelling roster issue for Boston, one that manager Alex Cora won’t fully resolve until Connor Wong has completely healed from his fractured left pinky finger. Placed on the Injured List on April 8, the 28-year-old catcher was scheduled to commence his rehab stint with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox on Saturday, indicating a potential return to the majors soon.

Despite Wong’s 2-for-23 performance at the plate before the injury, it would be surprising if he doesn’t start hitting consistently. His statistics from last season demonstrate his potential impact: a .280/.333/.425 slash line with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs over 126 games. Even when fully recovered, Wong isn’t expected to receive regular playing time due to the rise of 26-year-old catcher Carlos Narváez.

Acquired from the New York Yankees last December, Narváez has already started in 19 of Boston’s 29 games as the primary catcher, filling in during Wong’s absence. Although Narváez’s on-base numbers (.200/.268/.354) aren’t stellar, he’s showcased power with two home runs. Ultimately, it’s not Narváez’s hitting but his exceptional defense that will secure his playing time and place him in competition with Wong for opportunities.

On Sunday, Cora offered a striking comment about Narváez’s defensive skills, as reported by MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “Alex Cora on Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez playing time once Connor Wong returns: ‘He’ll play. I’m not saying we split up the week but he will play a lot. If you look at the numbers, he’s been the best defensive catcher in the big leagues.’”

Such high praise from Cora suggests it will be intriguing to observe how the Red Sox allocate playing time between Wong and Narváez moving forward, assuming they don’t acquire another catcher this summer. Narváez has the opportunity to surpass Wong as Boston’s primary catcher if he starts hitting well, or if Wong does not. In such a scenario, Wong might become a potential trade candidate in the future.