{"id":657808,"date":"2026-04-02T01:13:51","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T01:13:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/657808\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T01:13:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T01:13:51","slug":"alex-cora-declines-to-elaborate-after-scratching-carlos-narvaez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/657808\/","title":{"rendered":"Alex Cora declines to elaborate after scratching Carlos Narvaez"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBoston Red Sox\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tAlex Cora declines to elaborate after scratching Carlos Narvaez hours before Red Sox game<\/p>\n

\"Boston
\n\tCarlos Narvaez was a late scratch from Wednesday’s lineup. Danielle Parhizkaran\/The Boston Globe\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBy Conor Ryan<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tApril 1, 2026 | 7:51 PM\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

2 minutes to read<\/p>\n

Carlos Narvaez has been one of the few positives amid the Red Sox\u2019 sluggish start to the 2026 season, batting .444 over his first three games of the new year.<\/p>\n

\u200bBut, just a few hours before first pitch of Boston\u2019s series finale against the Houston Astros on Wednesday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced that Narvaez was scratched from the lineup \u2014 replaced by Connor Wong.<\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cI just made a change,\u201d Cora told reporters in Houston, including Tim Healey of The Boston Globe<\/a>. \u201cI talked to Carlos a little bit. We move on from there. So one of those that I felt like we needed to make the change in the lineup, and it\u2019s for the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if Narvaez\u2019s sudden removal from the lineup was for disciplinary reasons, Cora declined to discuss the rationale.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s keep it between me and Carlos,\u201d Cora said. \u201cAnd he understands. This is something that happens on every club. It just happens to be early in the season, and I think it\u2019s the right thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Granted, turning to Wong doesn\u2019t appear to have backfired in what has otherwise been a pretty punchless Boston lineup through six games. Boston\u2019s backup catcher is batting .500 (5-for-10) with three doubles through four games so far this season.<\/p>\n

Still, the sudden scratching of an expected lineup regular in Narvaez doesn\u2019t present the most reassuring optics for a baseball club that has stumbled out of the gate this spring.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a decision I made, and we\u2019re going to go,\u201d Cora said. \u201cWonger is ready. He\u2019s caught him before. We\u2019re fine. It\u2019s a day after night game; it is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking after Boston\u2019s eventual 6-4 loss to the Astros<\/a> on Wednesday, Narvaez also declined to get into the specifics for his removal from the lineup, but noted that it didn\u2019t have to do with injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike AC said this morning, I prefer to keep it between us,\u201d Narvaez told Healey<\/a>. \u201cI don\u2019t have much to say right now\u2026 I respect the decision\u2026 It\u2019s nothing wrong. Just gotta keep going.\u200b\u201d<\/p>\n

Narvaez and the Red Sox will look to get back in the win column on Friday when they host the Padres in their home opener at Fenway Park. First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Profile\t<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.<\/p>\n

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