Narvaez making strong bid to catch on with Chicago White Sox
Alex Avila was behind the plate for the Chicago White Sox on Monday night, and he went 1-for-3 with a walk against his old team, the Detroit Tigers.
Looking for a completely new look at catcher following the 2015 season, the Sox jettisoned Tyler Flowers and Geovany Soto and signed Avila and Dioner Navarro to one-year contracts.
The White Sox might have looked a little better on paper at the time, but Avila has again been unable to avoid the injury bug and Navarro was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday after failing to make an impact.
The Sox lost 4-3 to the Tigers at Comerica Park.
Second baseman Tyler Saladino had a 2-run single in the fourth inning, and he put the White Sox in front 3-2 with a solo homer in the seventh.
In the eighth inning, Jarrod Saltalamacchia decided the outcome with a 2-run homer off Sox reliever Nate Jones.
When Avila landed on the disabled list in early July for the second time this season with a strained right hamstring, the White Sox purchased catcher Omar Narvaez's contract from Class AAA Charlotte.
Considering he batted a combined .239 in 54 games with Charlotte and AA Birmingham, Narvaez looked like a stopgap addition at best.
But when Avila reaggravated the hamstring injury on a rehab assignment with Charlotte and wound up missing 44 games, Narvaez made the most of opportunity.
"It has been huge," said Narvaez, who was acquired by the Sox from the Tampa Bay Rays in the minor-league portion of the 2013 Rule 5 draft. "I'm just trying to do my adjustments every time and do the best I can do."
Narvaez's best has been surprisingly good.
Known for his strong throwing arm, the 24-year-old Venezuela native has posted a .310/.420/.357 hitting line in 15 games with the White Sox.
With 32 games remaining in the regular season, Narvaez is going to get more opportunities to make a positive impression.
"He has really acclimated himself well in the big leagues," Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "He has put himself on the map for the next several years of playing some sort of role on this club going forward, not just with the at-bats he's given you but the way he's handled some of our pitchers, including Carlos (Rodon).
"He has opened some eyes around here."
The White Sox drafted University of Miami all-American Zack Collins with the No. 10 overall pick in June, and he is clearly the No. 1 catcher of the future. Narvaez is looking like a solid backup.
"He's got a good head on his shoulders," manager Robin Ventura said. "He works hard. Up to this point he's shown that being up here hasn't overwhelmed him and he's been playing well."