Quiet acquisition of Carlos Narváez paying huge dividends for Red Sox

NEW YORK — When the Red Sox made their big offseason roster splash, acquiring lefthander Garret Crochet from the White Sox, they paid a high price in giving up highly-rated prospect Kyle Teel. Catching depth became an immediate issue, with presumptive starter Connor Wong heading toward spring with no experienced backup behind him.

But mere hours after completing the blockbuster trade for their newest ace, the front office made another swap, this one much quieter and way more under the radar. Other than being with a relatively unusual trading partner, it barely registered a headline.

These days, getting Carlos Narváez from the Yankees looks like a steal, a small trade on the transaction wire with a big payoff on the field. And for a front office that has taken plenty of well-deserved slings and arrows for its roster management, landing Narváez in December in exchange for pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz is a win they will happily take.

Because on Sunday night in the Bronx, it was Narváez once again helping the Sox to victory, this time with a pivotal go-ahead home run that put Boston ahead for good in the 11-7 victory that clinched the series for the visitors. On Sunday night in the Bronx, it was Narváez returning to the stadium where his major league dreams began and batting cleanup for the visiting team, belting a three-run homer in the sixth inning that turned a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead.

On Sunday night in the Bronx, it was Narváez continuing to write his own stirring story of perseverance, opportunity and relentless hard work, a bright light in a season that has been otherwise pretty bleak.

From the catcher who entered spring training with six whole games of big league experience to the one who battled his way to the opening-day roster. From the backup when the season began to the starter when Wong fractured his pinky finger on a catcher’s interference, Narváez has taken hold of the job. He’s done it not simply with the well-known defensive prowess that enticed the Sox enough to make the trade, but with a bat that has seen him hit safely in 13 of his last 16 starts and 23 of his last 28, a starch that included a .347/.431/.545 slash line.

“That was special, that was special,” he said in the victorious clubhouse afterwards. “But more important was that we found a way to get back in that game.”

That started in that fifth inning, when Kristian Campbell tied the game with a two-run homer, but the comeback was on for good thanks to Narváez’ three-run shot an inning later, one that came on a 1-2 pitch and just cleared the left field fence.

“I was in my head a little bit, to be honest, at the beginning, but I found myself in a two-strikes approach and then that happened,” he said. “Just let me put the ball in play as I charge my swing a little more.”

No swing was bigger than the sixth-inning blast, one of five home runs the Sox hit on the night. No swing was sweeter for the memory of that 16-year-old kid in Venezuela who signed his first professional contract with the Yankees, who wanted nothing more than to succeed in his return to what might have been his baseball home.

“Yeah, he was trying hard the whole weekend,” manager Alex Cora said, “and actually, today, I was a little hesitant to play him. But I just decided, you know what? He can play three [games in a row] and then Connor can play on Monday.

“And he pulled him in the air, and that was a huge one for us.”

From spring training to now, Narváez’ impact has continued to resonate. Long admired for his work behind the plate, framing pitches, prepping game plans, working with pitchers, his confidence now extends while at the plate, too. None less than Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, whose two home runs and three hits Sunday upped his average to .396, said this of his former teammate: “He used to outwork everybody in this room, so it doesn’t surprise me he’s having the success he is this year.”

From spring training to now, Narváez has taken ownership of his position in a way few saw coming, solidifying what could have been just one more question mark in a roster with too many of them.

“Yeah, I’m way more confident now,” Narváez said. “Everything behind the plate, at the plate, all that’s on my mind is just trying to help the team win in every way possible. If I’m at the box knowing that I’m having a good moment here, just put the ball in play, like I always say that, keep the line moving. It doesn’t matter if I’m hitting cleanup or wherever in the lineup. I just want to get a good at-bat and put the ball in play, find somewhere, like what happened tonight.”

Tara Sullivan is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at tara.sullivan@globe.com. Follow her @Globe_Tara.