Blake Sabol DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Boston Red Sox announced on Tuesday that they recalled catcher Blake Sabol and right-hander Josh Winckowski from Triple-A Worcester after they placed catcher Connor Wong (finger) on the 10-day injured list with a left fifth-finger fracture. The team also designated right-hander Robert Stock for assignment. With Wong on the shelf, the inexperienced Carlos Narvaez will move into Boston's starting catcher role, with Sabol backing him up. The former seventh-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 out of USC spent the last two years with the San Francisco Giants, hitting .243/.313/.392 with 13 home runs, 45 RBI and four stolen bases in 121 games played. Sabol also has the ability to play the outfield and first base, giving Boston some other options with him as a bat off the bench with Wong on the IL. He had gone 5-for-20 with two doubles and four RBI in his first six games with Worcester.

The Boston Red Sox acquired catcher Blake Sabol from the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday in exchange for international bonus-pool space. In a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster for Sabol, the Red Sox designated right-hander Chase Shugart for assignment. Sabol was recently DFA'd by the Giants and will now head to the American League East, where he'll serve as catching depth for the BoSox behind Connor Wong and Carlos Narvaez. The 27-year-old former seventh-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 out of USC also has experience in the outfield but will likely start the 2025 season at Triple-A Worcester. He made his big-league debut in San Fran in 2023, hitting .235 (73-for-310) with 13 homers and 44 RBI in 110 games but only played in 11 games for the Gigantes this past season. Sabol will be off the fantasy radar in all redraft fantasy leagues.

According to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay, the San Francisco Giants are designating catcher Blake Sabol for assignment. This transaction opens a roster spot for staring pitcher Justin Verlander, who recently agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants. Sabol appeared in just 11 games with the Giants last season but performed well as he posted a .313/.421/.375. Sabol spent most of the season (97 games) at Triple-A Sacramento, where he posted a .246/.340/.388 slash line with 14 doubles, 11 home runs, and 11 stolen bases. The Giants now have three catchers on their major league roster with Patrick Bailey expected to operate as the clear No.1 option. Fantasy managers should expect Sabol to compete for a spot on an Opening Day roster if he were to be claimed by another club.

San Francisco Giants catcher/outfielder Blake Sabol (groin) will return to Cactus League action on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels and will play left field off the bench. Sabol hasn't played in a spring training game since March 5 due to a right-adductor strain, but he's back in action now as he tries to make the club's Opening Day roster. Given how much time he's missed this spring, it's likely that the 26-year-old backstop will open the 2024 season at Triple-A Sacramento. Sabol has the versatility to both catch and play the outfield, but his bat hasn't shown enough to give him much chance to crack the Giants' lineup regularly with Patrick Bailey and Joey Bart also at catcher. In his rookie season in 2023, Sabol hit .235/.301/.394 with 13 homers and 44 RBI in 110 appearances.

San Francisco Giants catcher Blake Sabol, last year's primary backup catcher, will be moved around this spring to add some more versatility since there are two catchers now ahead of him on the depth chart in Patrick Bailey and Tom Murphy. "I think first base might be -- I haven't told him this yet -- but first base might be another spot," manager Bob Melvin said. "I think with LaMonte Wade Jr. as the only left-handed hitting first baseman, (Sabol) has played some outfield and is a versatile guy. We might move him around a little bit more." The 26-year-old also saw some time in left field in 2023. Sabol has minor-league options remaining, so don't rule out the Giants sending the former Rule 5 pick down to the minors at some point as well. He won't have much fantasy value outside of NL-only leagues in more of a bench role in 2024.