Had all gone to plan, Blake Swihart would have been a player the Red Sox considered as a September call-up to get him a little experience. This season was to be one of continued development at Triple A Pawtucket.
Then Christian Vazquez had season-ending elbow surgery in April and Ryan Hanigan broke his right hand a month later. The Red Sox were out of catchers.
Swihart was summoned to the majors and hit .216 with a .551 OPS in his first 34 games. He struck out 32 times in his first 111 at-bats and appeared overmatched.
In the last month, a stretch interrupted by 19 days on the disabled list recovering from a sprained foot, Swihart had started to figure out major league pitching. The 23-year-old switch-hitter has hit .294 in his last 15 games with four doubles and a triple.
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His season batting average (.238) and OPS (.611) aren’t much to look at. But they’re trending the right way.
“I’m not getting myself out as much as I was,” Swihart said before the Red Sox’ 10-8 loss to the White Sox on Monday at Fenway Park. “I’m seeing a lot more pitches. I feel like I’m a lot more patient.
“Just trying to get my pitch and hit it. I’m trying not to go out of the zone. Stay consistent every day and get my pitch to hit.”
Hitting coach Chili Davis, a switch-hitter when he played, has been impressed with how Swihart has stuck with it while also learning how to catch at the major league level.
“He got called up unexpectedly and that’s tough,” Davis said. “He was projected to be in the minor leagues another few years but he’s here. Because of the situation, he’s here.
“He’s battling and working and trying to be competitive. He’s coachable and he’s not afraid.”
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Davis has kept an eye on Swihart to make sure the poor statistics weren’t weighing him down.
“Sometimes that can tarnish a kid,” Davis said. “But his makeup is so strong I don’t see that happening. I’m expecting nothing but success from him.”
The Sox could have demoted Swihart this month when Hanigan returned. But they designated backup Sandy Leon for assignment instead.
“Felt like his learning curve was steep at the beginning of the season when he came to us. But it would benefit him in the long run by remaining here,” manager John Farrell said. “We looked at a minimum of 3-4 days a week of playing time that would justify being here vs. everyday at-bats at Triple A. That was probably at the root of the decision with Sandy.”
Swihart, who did not play Monday, doubled and scored on Sunday. His at-bats from both sides of the plate are improving, although he’s a better lefthanded hitter.
“I think he’s getting there,” Farrell said.
Swihart has the athletic ability to move to another position and that may still be a consideration. Farrell gave a bit of a cryptic answer when asked if Swihart would remain a catcher.
“As of now, yes,” the manager said.
Holt remains out
Brock Holt, who hyperextended his left knee Sunday night, was out of the lineup. Jemile Weeks started at second base.
“[Holt] is improved. Yet at the recommendation of the medical staff, another day was needed,” Farrell said. “Everything is hopefully pointing to him returning to the lineup [Tuesday] but felt like another day would do him well.”
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Holt stumbled rounding first base after a single in the first inning on Sunday. He stayed in the game until the bottom of the sixth inning.
Farrell in the mix
As Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline approaches, Farrell is part of the conversation with the front office.
“If there are choices to be made, there’s some interaction there,” he said. “I know that [general manager Ben Cherington] is doing everything he can to make change that is going to affect us in a positive way going forward.
“That [interaction] may vary depending on the situation.”
Farrell was a player development director in Cleveland before becoming a pitching coach in 2007 and then a manager in 2011. That front office experience serves him well, particularly at this time of the year.
“You know that a lot goes into it. Ideas are generated in 30 different offices around the game,” he said. “The reality of those coming to life? There are a lot of steps that have to be achieved to get to that point. From field level, you just have a thought. There’s a long way to go before that thought turns into reality. There are a lot of challenges in finding a trade partner and then what makes most sense for both sides.”
Pedro to be honored
The Red Sox will retire Pedro Martinez’s jersey No. 45 during pregame ceremonies on Tuesday. Fans are asked to be in their seats by 6:30 p.m. Fans will be given replicas of Martinez’s Hall of Fame plaque. The ceremony will be repeated in Spanish on Wednesday. Martinez will be on hand both nights . . . Weeks, who could be replaced on the roster by newly acquired Josh Rutledge, is 3 for 6 with an RBI in two games since being called up . . . At 44-56, the Red Sox have their worst record after 100 games since the 1966 team was 42-58 . . . The White Sox have won five straight, scoring 36 runs . . . Clay Cook of the Zac Brown Band sang “God Bless America” in the seventh inning. The group is playing at Fenway Aug. 7-9 . . . Shortstop Xander Bogaerts has five career four-hit games. In the last 100 years, the only Red Sox players with more four-hit games at age 22 or younger are Ted Williams, who had eight, and Carl Yastrzemski, who had six.
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Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.