FORT MYERS, Fla. — It’s Game 4 of the World Series at a hostile Dodger Stadium, and after dropping an 18-inning marathon the night before, the Red Sox are clinging to a 2-1 series lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Craig Kimbrel’s white-knuckle postseason is continuing.

The closer just gave up a two-run bomb to narrow a 9-4 lead to 9-6, the heart of the Los Angeles order is coming up, and Blake Swihart is catching for the first time in weeks.

Oh, and Swihart and Kimbrel’s signs are crossed up.

“It’s tough, especially when you don’t have any more mound visits,” Swihart said. “But it’s part of the game, especially with everybody stealing signs now. Having complex sign-giving sequences. After not catching for awhile and then going back there in that situation, it was a good challenge.”

After Game 3 hero Max Muncy grounds out, Justin Turner singles. As the tying run comes to the on-deck circle, supervillain Manny Machado steps to the plate.

It’s now that Kimbrel and Swihart manage to buckle down.

They pound the outside corner with fastballs, and eventually Machado gets on top of a curveball in the same spot to ground out harmlessly. Two away. From there, Cody Bellinger works the count full, but ultimately flies out, and the Red Sox are one win away from their fourth championship of the century.

Crisis averted.

“We got on the same page finally and it worked out,” Swihart said. “Craig did a good job sticking with me. … It’s satisfying. Anything you can do to help the team win is always great.”

“It’s not that easy, but he survived that day,” Manager Alex Cora laughed. “Caught one of the biggest innings of the whole season.”

Surviving. That’s what the catcher continues to do.

Whether being thrown into a World Series game with obsolete signs, sticking on a roster where there’s seemingly no spot, or remaining a Red Sox catcher after years of trade rumors, Swihart survives.

Game 4 marked the end of his season, and it was fitting given all that had transpired in 2018; things were all over the place, but ended on a high note.

A brief recap: Swihart began the season buried on the bench as a utility man, requested a trade, got a chance to catch when Christian Vazquez broke his finger, had an eye-opening two-months as a regular behind the plate, then was relegated back to third catcher duties when Vazquez returned.

“He was always ready to play,” Cora said. “It was a tough situation. We couldn’t find at-bats for him, but we had to find at-bats for Christian or Sandy (Leon), when both of them were healthy. … Whatever we asked him to do, he does.”

Swihart’s biggest takeaway from that whirlwind season?

“I’m a world champ,” Swihart said proudly.

But beyond that, he feels good about 2018 on a personal level. After injuries limited him to 81 plate appearances the previous two seasons, he thinks last year was a step forward.

“I do,” Swihart said. “I feel like I got a lot more athletic. Got to catch, feel like I was catching really well and just being able to play the game and get at-bats under my belt was helpful.”

Four months later he’s back in a familiar place – and not just JetBlue Park. Swihart is in the middle of trade rumors, which has been the case – “Since I’ve been drafted,” he chimed in.

Once the top-ranked catching prospect in baseball, Swihart remains one of Boston’s best trade chips at 26 years old. Dave Dombrowski has made it clear that he doesn’t want to carry three catchers this year, only two, and as Swihart has the most value, he’s the one that keeps popping up in trade chatter.

It’s far easier to tune out than earlier in his career. Having weathered the trade winds for this many seasons, Swihart is unfazed.

“I think it was more difficult just because I was younger and it was always in the back of my mind,” Swihart said. “Now since it’s been eight years in a row, it comes with the turf I guess. Comes with the territory. I just go out there and do anything I can to help this team win. Until something happens, my focus is still here.”

With that, Swihart finished tossing on his gear and strode to an early-morning catchers’ meeting.

“He knows that coming into this spring training, there’s a chance,” Cora said. “He’s ready for it.”

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