MASHANTUCKET, Conn. — To say Christian Vazquez is champing at the bit would be an understatement.
Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Saturday at the team’s Baseball Winter Weekend event at Foxwoods Resort Casino that Boston will be cautious with Vazquez, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery. The 25-year-old catcher sounds a little less conservative about the situation, however.
“I’m ready to roll,” Vazquez declared Saturday when first asked about his health.
Of course, Vazquez is cognizant that he can’t rush things. It’s rare that a major league catcher undergoes Tommy John surgery — a procedure typically reserved for pitchers — so there’s definitely some uncertainty surrounding his status with Opening Day less than three months away.
But Vazquez is encouraged by how things have played out with regard to his recovery. His focus is on being 100 percent for the beginning of spring training and, in turn, ready for the Red Sox’s season opener April 6.
“Of course, man,” Vazquez said of eyeing an Opening Day return. “I want to be there to help the team win.”
Even if Vazquez is healthy and ready to roll, there’s no guarantee he’ll crack Boston’s Opening Day roster. Blake Swihart has been tabbed as the club’s No. 1 catcher and veteran Ryan Hanigan figures to serve as the backup, meaning Vazquez could start the season in the minors while continuing to work his way back from the injury that sidelined him for the entire 2015 campaign.
If that’s the case, it’ll obviously be disappointing for Vazquez, who was positioned to be the Red Sox’s starting catcher going into last season before undergoing surgery. It isn’t likely to deter the motivated backstop, though. He’s been watching videos on the team’s pitchers dating back to last season and is preparing as if he’ll play a major role with the big league club in 2016.
“That’s not my decision. If I feel good, I’m going to play hard,” Vazquez said. “They make the decision, and I’ll play where they put me. That’s my goal.
“I’m in the best shape of my life. I lost like 25 pounds in the offseason,” he added. “I feel good, man. … I feel great. I think I feel stronger now, so it’s better.”
Vazquez, who’s been working out five days a week in Fort Myers, Fla., said Friday he’s been throwing at 100 percent from 150 feet. He hasn’t experienced any pain or setbacks, and he said he plans to throw to bases in the coming week.
This, of course, begs the question: Will Vazquez still have his trademark cannon arm?
“It’s there,” he said with a smile.
Don’t doubt it.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
