FORT MYERS, Fla. – Carlos Narváez has several goals for the 2026 season, none more important than a fully healthy year, after offseason meniscus surgery.

Only, it wasn’t supposed to be an offseason surgery.

“I was set up to have surgery in July,” Narváez told the Herald, “and I didn’t want to. … They told me, ‘You need it.’”

Recognizing the organization’s thin catching depth and the big-league club’s potential, he begged the Red Sox to let the training staff try to help him keep playing as long as possible. They relented, and for that, he’s immensely grateful.

“I talked to them and said, ‘Let’s work together to make (playing) happen,’” Narváez recalled. “The amazing group that we had, I knew we were getting ready for a postseason, and I just felt my team needed (me). I said, ‘Please help me to get through to the end.’ … They trusted me.”

Behind the scenes, Narváez, who is praised by coaches and pitchers for his level of preparedness for every game, added a new, intense layer of prep to his plate.

“(It) was daily work in the training room,” he said. “Especially the last two months, I felt my knee every day. It was crazy, because it wasn’t only a pain, it was like a click. (My leg) got locked up.

“So that was tough, but we made it. The training staff was amazing. … They were with me, and I’m so thankful for those guys having my back.”

Narváez played 118 regular-season games, and caught 112 of them. He led the majors with 32 caught-stealing and 58 assists. As a rookie with a knee injury.

Often, it was a mind-over-body experience.

“My own path was very difficult, playing with pain, too many difficulties,” Narváez said of his unlikely journey through minor leagues to the top. “In my mind, it’s like, ‘OK this knee is not going to bother me.’”

“A little issue for all the movements, glove, throw, turn, run, it was a little challenging for me,” he added. “But as soon as the games start, I forget about that.”

Playing through pain is a point of immense pride for Narváez, and something he will gladly do all over again. He wants to be like the legendary Red Sox ‘Dirt Dogs’ he so admires, Dustin Pedroia and Trot Nixon, who gave their all to be on the field and make every play.

“Always, hopefully, my whole career is going to be like that,” Narváez said. “You’re always going to feel something, but no pain is enough.

“If you want to, pull me off the field, but I’m never gonna get off the field.”