Mickey Gasper Is Staking His Claim To A Red Sox's Postseason Roster Spot

[Gottie Chavez]

The current form of Mickey Gasper has created his strongest argument yet for carving out a more permanent role on the Boston Red Sox's roster heading into the playoffs. In a roller-coaster season for Boston, Gasper has taken advantage of his limited opportunities, providing an offensive spark each time he has been called up. Since his late call-up in August, Gasper is hitting .417/.576/1.167 with a 1.742 OPS, 12 RBIs and five home runs after going without one through the first half of the season. While he also offers positional versatility with experience at catcher and first base, his newfound power could be what helps him move up the depth chart. 

What's Behind Mickey Gasper's Recent Surge

Since returning to the majors, Gasper has made slight adjustments to his swing path that have helped him make better contact and produce more power. Against fastballs, he increased his average attack angle from 9 degrees to 11 degrees, allowing him to better capitalize on pitches left higher in the strike zone. His average exit velocity against fastballs has increased from 89.0 mph in June to 97.2 mph in August. Gasper has hit four of his five home runs against fastballs.

Against off-speed pitches, Gasper has favored an opposite approach, decreasing his average attack angle from 20 degrees to 17 degrees. The adjustment has helped flatten his swing and allowed his bat to meet the middle of the ball rather than getting underneath it or completely whiffing. Against off-speed pitches in August, Gasper has posted a 25.0% whiff rate, down from 26.7% back in June. If these adjustments remain consistent, his recent power surge could offer the team a game-changing option off the bench.

An Opportunity Behind the Plate

That offensive production could become particularly valuable behind the plate, where Boston’s depth has been tested throughout the season. At the beginning of the season, the Red Sox expected Carlos Narváez to continue building on his strong rookie season while Connor Wong served as his backup. However, after Narváez experienced a steep regression, Boston moved on and acquired three-time All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman in a trade. 

Rutschman’s addition to a Red Sox team in the middle of a playoff push appeared to solve the team’s questions behind the plate, but he has yet to find his footing. Since joining the team, he has been batting .146/.255/.244 with a .499 OPS. While there should be little question about Rutschman’s status as the starter, Gasper’s recent form could reopen the conversation about who should serve as the team’s second option.

Currently, Gasper sits behind Wong on the depth chart. Wong has been a solid option, batting .246/.327/.374 with a .701 OPS, but has struggled to consistently produce power, hitting only four home runs this season. In nearly 50 fewer at-bats, Gasper has recorded only eight fewer hits than Wong, giving Boston another reason to consider whether his recent offensive surge deserves a larger role.

Versatility Could Be the Difference

Gasper's production does not necessarily make a case for him to be Boston’s starting catcher. However, his ability to provide offensive production while playing both catcher and first base could make him an appealing option for a postseason roster. At the very least, he's more capable of handling late-game substitution situations than Wong, which could prove to be the tiebreaker as the Red Sox mull over their best 26 players ahead of October.

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[JoeBrady]

Nice article and stats.  Makes me need more coffee this early.

And yes, at this point, and maybe even if he flattens out a little, Gaspar should be on the playoff roster.

[bobo52]

There is a huge lefty /righty factor in everything you are saying.   It's obvious that Tracy  is using this data in deciding who plays and when.  Gasper and Rutschman against RHP and Wong against LHP. 

Gasper and Rutschman are both switch hitters but they (particularly Gasper) just bat a lot better from the left side.  

Gasper generally only bats against righties - he has a 222 OPs vs lefty and 804 OPS vs RHP.  Gasper has 21 plate appearances vs lefties and 132 versus righties. They just dont bat him against lefties - unless they have to.

Rutschman similarly hits righties (788) much better than lefties (657).  Rutschman has  112 PA vs lefties 217 vs RHP.  

Wong on the other hand hits LHP (767) and has problems with righties (689). Wong has 61 PAs vs vs lefties and 142 vs lefties.  

Wong complements Rutschman and Gasper - they will continue to use him against LHP.   

[notin]

Gasper might face a demotion when everyone returns simply because he has options.  
 

To get Story, Anthony and IKF back, the Sox only need to open up one space on the 40 man roster.  So bye, Brett Harris.  We hardly knew you.

But to get all 3 on the active roster, 3 players need to be demoted (assuming they all get activated in the next 3 days, which probably won’t happen).  So the players that can be demoted include Seigler, Sogard, Gasper, Wong and Monasterio.   Wong is pretty unlikely since, despite his rough stretch behind the plate, he is still a better catcher than Gasper.  (Relegating Gasper to the BUC role handicaps him as a DH, as well).  And figure the Sox need to keep at least one backup infielder, likely not Tony Seagulls.  
 

Doubtful the Sox DFA either White or Jones when the alternative is to demote Gasper for a couple days…

[drewski6]

18 minutes ago, notin said:

Gasper might face a demotion when everyone returns simply because he has options.  
 

To get Story, Anthony and IKF back, the Sox only need to open up one space on the 40 man roster.  So bye, Brett Harris.  We hardly knew you.

But to get all 3 on the active roster, 3 players need to be demoted (assuming they all get activated in the next 3 days, which probably won’t happen).  So the players that can be demoted include Seigler, Sogard, Gasper, Wong and Monasterio.   Wong is pretty unlikely since, despite his rough stretch behind the plate, he is still a better catcher than Gasper.  (Relegating Gasper to the BUC role handicaps him as a DH, as well).  And figure the Sox need to keep at least one backup infielder, likely not Tony Seagulls.  
 

Doubtful the Sox DFA either White or Jones when the alternative is to demote Gasper for a couple days…

No way Gasper goes down.

[notin]

1 hour ago, drewski6 said:

No way Gasper goes down.

If Roman comes back, he (Gasper) gets relegated to the bench anyway.

Probably won’t matter since they are unlikely to activate everyone before Tuesday.

But if they do - what 3 players do you demote instead?

[drewski6]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

If Roman comes back, he gets relegated to the bench anyway.

Probably won’t matter since they are unlikely to activate everyone before Tuesday.

But if they do - what 3 players do you demote instead?

I would pitch Bello tonight, send him down tomorrow, activate Story or Roman to replace.  Then on Sept 1, call bello back up , and add whichever of the 2 wasnt up.  IKF likely replaces Siegler.

And no way does our hottest hitter go to the bench.  

[Alex Mayes]

32 minutes ago, notin said:

Gasper might face a demotion when everyone returns simply because he has options.  
 

To get Story, Anthony and IKF back, the Sox only need to open up one space on the 40 man roster.  So bye, Brett Harris.  We hardly knew you.

But to get all 3 on the active roster, 3 players need to be demoted (assuming they all get activated in the next 3 days, which probably won’t happen).  So the players that can be demoted include Seigler, Sogard, Gasper, Wong and Monasterio.   Wong is pretty unlikely since, despite his rough stretch behind the plate, he is still a better catcher than Gasper.  (Relegating Gasper to the BUC role handicaps him as a DH, as well).  And figure the Sox need to keep at least one backup infielder, likely not Tony Seagulls.  
 

Doubtful the Sox DFA either White or Jones when the alternative is to demote Gasper for a couple days…

I think this makes the most sense. Gasper has gone on crazy hot streaks pretty much every time he's been called up this season and then fizzles out before he gets demoted again. It's bound to happen again because there's nothing under the hood that points to this sudden power surge being sustainable at all. 

The only way I don't see him going down is if we see more of whatever was wrong with Wong during the finale against the Marlins. If he keeps playing behind the dish like that, it's essentially the same level of defensive production Gasper could give you then I'd send Wong down and keep Gasper up until he's out of juice. That being said, I'd still send Gasper down before anyone else.  

[drewski6]

Mickey Gasper will hit fifth against righties until 2029. Get use to it.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

My wife's favorite player!

They can't cut Mickey -- I tried growing the goatee, and it came in with so much gray the black sharpie ran out.

[Alex Mayes]

2 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I would pitch Bello tonight, send him down tomorrow, activate Story or Roman.  Then on Sept 1, call bello back up , and add story/roman and the other.

And no way does our hottest hitter go to the bench.  

No shot Bello is the arm that gets sent down for any reason. He's penciled in for one of the two games on Saturday. 

[drewski6]

3 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

My wife's favorite player!

They can't cut Mickey -- I tried growing the goatee, and it came in with so much gray the black sharpie ran out.

Try shoe polish.

[drewski6]

3 minutes ago, Alex Mayes said:

No shot Bello is the arm that gets sent down for any reason. He's penciled in for one of the two games on Saturday. 

Why not tonight? Last time out, he pitched 2 innings.  Hes rested. Swap him and Sandoval, send Bello down tomorrow, Sandoval replaces him in tomorrows game.

[drewski6]

Or have him pitch game 1 tomorrow, then send him down, and immediately activate  roman/story for game 2.  No one is coming of the IL and playing both games in a double header anyways.

[notin]

49 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Mickey Gasper will hit fifth against righties until 2029. Get use to it.

I assume you mean 20:29 tonight.

I will say that is a new level of specificity for this forum.  Not nailing down EST vs CST?

[notin]

46 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Try shoe polish.

Or Rust-Oleum…