The Boston Red Sox are one of a handful of teams carrying three catchers on the roster, with one player in the trio usually seeing little to no playing time. 

Catcher Carlos Narvaez has become that player, as he has started four of the last 12 games for the Red Sox. The Red Sox starter over backup Connor Wong to begin the year, Narvaez's playing time has decreased due to the emergence of Mickey Gasper. However, nobody told the 27-year-old he wouldn't be getting consistent at-bats. 

Carlos Narvaez reveals that the Red Sox never told him that he would have a decrease in his playing time

“I haven’t talked with nobody, and nobody has talked with me,” he [Narvaez] said to The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey. “But like I said, I get it, I’m a part of the team and I understand what’s going on, but on my end I just have to be ready. No one is telling me anything, if something changed — clearly something changed — but I don’t know, just be ready for the opportunity, and that’s it.”

Narvaez added that "it's not a fun spot" for him to be in, but he considers himself a team player and a leader in the clubhouse who can deal with this. 

“It’s not a fun spot to be with a couple days off (between games), but it is what it is,” he [Narvaez] said to McCaffrey. “I’m a team player, I’m a leader of this team — or at least that was the case last year, and in my mind that hasn’t changed. Just going to be there for whenever the team needs me, and my job is to be ready for that.”

Narvaez's decrease in playing time is warranted, as he has not played well enough at or behind the dish to see consistent at-bats. In 32 games, Narvaez is batting .214 with a .290 on-base percentage, has struck out 38 times in 112 at-bats and has been poor on defense (-12 defensive runs saved). 

The lack of communication isn't helping things, especially with the Rafael Devers debacle from last season still looming large.

Interim manager Chad Tracy said it's "tricky" to handle the Red Sox catching situation

According to interim manager Chad Tracy, handling the catching situation has proved "very tricky" with Gasper outperforming expectations. 

“Very tricky,” Tracy said of how he manages the catchers’ playing time to McCaffrey. “That’s a situation that I look at every single day. I got three catchers, all capable, Wonger starting to swing the bat better, very obvious how well Mickey has swung the bat, and pretty obvious that he’s actually done a good job behind the plate. … It’s not easy, it’s a daily thing, but Mickey’s at-bats have kind of forced us to get him in there.”

Claimed off waivers from the Washington Nationals in February and recalled from Triple-A Worcester on May 7, Gasper has been one of the best hitters in the Red Sox lineup. In 21 games, the 30-year-old is batting .303 with three doubles, a triple (one more than Narvaez) and has been better behind the plate (zero DRS). 

The situation with Gasper shouldn't be too tricky, as he is versatile. Gasper has played in 11 games (four starts) at first base, eight games (five starts) at second base and one game in left field. If Narvaez needs more playing time to help get his bat going, maybe moving the switch-hitting Gasper around the diamond could help. 

The Red Sox may have a solution for their catching troubles

With the trade deadline approaching (Aug. 3) and having three catchers on the roster, one of Narvaez or Wong could get traded. The Red Sox need another right-handed hitter, and the rumor, per McCaffrey, is that the Red Sox could pair Wong with one of their prospects to acquire that bat. 

"The Red Sox are already known to be seeking a right-handed hitter, as The Athletic reported two weeks ago," wrote McCaffrey. "But their surplus of big-league catchers is an enticing commodity. Though Wong alone won’t land a major impact bat, pairing him with a prospect or another player on the big-league roster could be a start."

Wong, like Gasper, has also performed better than Narvaez, batting .264 with a .713 OPS, eight doubles, 10 RBI and a stolen base. This production from a backup catcher, even without a prospect, could net the Red Sox a decent haul with teams like the Atlanta Braves seeking catching depth.