Two Red Sox Players Among Biggest ‘MLB The Show’ Ratings Risers

Some Boston Red Sox players have exceeded expectations this season, forcing a video game to adjust.

MLB revealed the top-10 biggest ratings risers in “MLB The Show 25” throughout the season. Carlos Narváez and Aroldis Chapman were among the players who received a massive uptick.

Narváez climbed from a 64 to an 83 overall grade, the second-highest boost behind Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz. Chapman jumped from 76 to 92, the only highlighted player rated above 85.

The New York Yankees probably didn’t rate Narváez much better than “MLB The Show” when sending him to Boston this offseason. He batted .254/.370/.412 in Triple-A last season and slugged .231 in six major league contests.

Narváez has warranted a massive reassessment amid a breakout rookie campaign. The 26-year-old is hitting .252/.322/.429 with 13 home runs and a 2.8 fWAR in Boston. Along with his offensive gains, Narváez is among MLB’s premier pitch-framers behind the plate.

Chapman looked past his prime when posting a 3.79 ERA and 1.35 WHIP with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, but the closer has responded with the best year of his 16-season career. The 37-year-old has a 1.14 ERA and 0.67 WHIP with a career-low 6.9 walk percentage.

The All-Star southpaw went 50 batters without allowing a hit before snapping the historic streak on Wednesday. He’s now also tough for video gamers to hit with a sizeable ratings climb.

Nobody has garnered a bigger midseason boost than Kurtz, who hit his 30th home run of the season in Wednesday’s win over the Red Sox. The 22-year-old has locked down the American League Rookie of the Year award with a .302/.397/.626 slash line that suggests his “MLB The Show” rating should keep increasing.