April 05--Dioner Navarro woke up to a text message Monday that he would be the starting catcher in that night's game against Oakland, a decision made because of the Athletics' late pitching change.
Navarro and Alex Avila, who joined the Sox on one-year contracts this offseason, will split time at catcher this year based on matchups and health, and so Navarro said it's important to be ready at any time to jump in.
"I just come ready every day," Navarro said. "That's what my mentality has been my whole career. ... You never know when your name is going to be called and you have to be ready when it is."
Navarro and Avila each caught all of the Sox pitchers during spring training, and so Sox manager Robin Ventura said he doesn't have to stick to specific pitcher-catcher combinations this year. Navarro had only caught Chris Sale twice in the spring, but Sale said the pairing went well Monday, when he gave up three earned runs over seven innings.
"He actually got me doing some things that I maybe wouldn't do otherwise," Sale said. "Kind of stepping outside of the box ... just throwing two-seamers in to righties. I don't know if I've ever done that. Really focusing on getting the ball down, too.
"He was trying to calm me down as well out there. We try not to get too hot when things started rolling for the other team a little bit. I think we have something good going."
Ventura said it helps that both are veterans and accepting of their split duties. Navarro is in his 13th season in the majors, while Avila begins his eighth.
"There's not the older guy and the younger guy and the ego that goes with that," Ventura said. "Both of these guys know they're going to be switching in and out of there."
