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While the sluggish free-agent market has hampered
Dave Dombrowski's stated desire to trade one of his three catchers this off-season,
he is still trying to peddle one of those backstops. Since none of the three can be considered "elite" behind the plate, the youngest of the bunch—
Blake Swihart—might fetch the most interest from other teams. At 26, Swihart is the classic "potential" guy—a top pick who has never gotten enough playing time, either because of injury or general happenstance. Teams like the Phillies have reportedly expressed interest in Swihart—since he fits the versatility mold preferred by Philadelphia manager (and former Red Sox player)
Gabe Kapler. It's unclear what Swihart would bring back in a trade, but clearly bullpen help is desperately needed by Boston. As the free-agent market
begins to heat up, we may see some action on Swihart—or perhaps
Sandy Leon and
Christian Vazquez will find more suitors. While Dombrowski has told Swihart that he will compete for the starting catching job, it's anybody's guess who will
actually be behind the plate for Boston on Opening Day.
Stay tuned!
