red sox catcher Huang Connor He underwent right wrist bone resection surgery. The team called the surgery, which was performed this morning by Dr. Matthew Leibman of Massachusetts General Hospital, “successful.” The Red Sox have not provided further details on Wong’s recovery timetable.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a carpal bone is a benign “bony overgrowth or lump” found on the back of the hand or wrist. The condition doesn’t always cause pain, but the fact that Wong’s wrist bone boss was removed suggests that it caused him at least some level of discomfort. Most people return to “normal activities” within two to six weeks after carpal bone removal. While that time may be longer for a professional athlete, Huang appears to be fully back to strength when he reports for training camp next spring.
The 29-year-old, who hits and throws right-handed, spent four weeks on the injured list after fracturing his left pinky finger early in the season. However, this is the first time the Red Sox have mentioned any issues with his dominant hand. Wong started the game on the final day of the regular season, and while he didn’t appear in the playoffs, the decision seemed to have more to do with his poor performance throughout the season than any injury issues. As for how much his poor performance might have to do with Wrist Boss? Wong can only hope that it played a significant role and that having it removed will help him bounce back in 2026.
Last season, after significantly exceeding his projected numbers (to the tune of a .280/.333/.425 slash line), Wong found his luck drastically deteriorating. In 63 games in 2025, he batted below .200 with zero home runs. The 42-point gap between his wOBA and xwOBA is a good sign for Wong, but even so, if he had enough plate appearances to qualify, even his xwOBA would put him in the bottom 3% of hitters in the sport. He hit seven doubles, drove in just seven runs, and finished with -0.7 FanGraphs WAR. It certainly doesn’t help that he posted negative defensive metrics across the board again.
Wong isn’t Boston’s only guard who recently spent time at MGH Brigham. Carlos NarvaezHuang, who replaced Huang as the team’s starting catcher this year, underwent a meniscectomy on his left knee yesterday. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow previously described the process as a “cleanup” and clarified that he expected Narvaez to return to full strength by spring training. Narvaez will likely be Boston’s primary receiver in 2026, while Wong’s status with the organization is still up in the air. He’s expected to make $1.6MM in his first year of arbitration eligibility, and after the season he just had, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Red Sox not invite him.
