Connor Wong (!!) Off to Impressive Start

By Jamie Gatlin

During the first few weeks of the 2024 campaign, the Boston Red Sox have dealt with seemingly never-ending injuries. While their depth has been tested, they have gotten some key contributions from unlikely places. That list includes Connor Wong, who has been a hits machine.

Through 54 at-bats, the former third-round pick has posted a .370 batting average and added five home runs to his resume. He has also driven in 11 runs, which, entering play on Thursday, is the most on the Red Sox. Regardless of who is on the mound, Wong has been a less-than-ideal match-up.

In a small sample size, Wong is showing more power than ever before. Entering the 2024 campaign, he had hit 10 home runs since making his debut in 2021. Wong’s success was partly due to his work during the off-season.

Connor Wong has been a revelation to the Red Sox in his first full season.Photo byWikipedia

“He’s made adjustments,” manager Alex Cora told MLB.com’s Ian Browne during spring training. “It started towards the end of the [2023] season. And in the off-season, [hitting coach] Pete [Fatse] came down here to Fort Myers. They started cleaning up a few things with the leg kick and all that.”

His adjustments were on display Wednesday night against the Guardians. Following a disappointing loss, the Red Sox bounced back in impressive fashion with an 8-0 win. At the center of their success was Wong. The Houston native recorded four hits and drove in three runs.

It was the latest stellar performance in an impressive start to the season. Thursday’s game marked Wong’s seventh multi-hit game of the 2024 campaign. Six of those have come this month as his playing time has steadily increased and McGuire has cooled off at the plate.

While the talented catcher has made headlines with his bat, he has also been solid in the field. Through 109 innings behind the plate, Wong has not committed an error and caught one runner stealing. He has also shown off his versatility, making an appearance at second and at first. At times, the Red Sox defense has been questionable, but Wong has not been part of the problem.

Although Wong is not expected to hit over .300 all season, his success has been hard to ignore. He has not had to rely on his power to make an impact and has taken advantage of what pitchers have given him. That has been key for a Red Sox offense currently without Triston Casas.

As the games pile up, the Red Sox will need Wong to continue his recent success. Along with Reese McGuire, the Red Sox have a lethal catching duo that hits the cover off the ball with no signs of slowing down.

Jamie Gatlin is a freelance writer covering the NHL and MLB for Prime Time Sports Talk and a former MLB writer for Runners Sports. You can find him on Twitter @JamieGatlin17 and @TalkPrimeTime. His email is gatlinjamie1@gmail.com.