Red Sox ‘Optimistic’ They’ll Find Trade For Catcher Blake Swihart

The Boston Red Sox might not lose Blake Swihart for nothing after all.

The Red Sox made somewhat of a surprising move earlier this week when they designated Swihart for assignment. The 27-year-old earned a spot on Boston’s 25-man roster out of spring training, but as its pitching woes mounted, the club opted to promote veteran backstop Sandy Leon from Triple-A Pawtucket, prompting Swihart’s DFA.

The Sox have until Tuesday to find a trade for Swihart, and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski on Friday revealed to reporters the status of a potential deal.

Swihart, of course, has quite a bit of upside. Aside from his young age, the 2011 first-round pick boasts above-average versatility, as he’s seen time in both the infield and outfield at the big league level. It remains to be seen if Swihart is capable of being an everyday catcher, but he’s a solid utility man at a minimum.

As for the Red Sox, they’ll look to get back in the win column Friday night when they open up a three-game road series with the Tampa Bay Rays.