It might not be long before the Boston Red Sox have some decisions to make behind the plate.
Christian Vazquez, currently on the 10-day disabled list after undergoing surgery for a broken right pinkie he suffered while sliding into second base July 7, was at Fenway Park on Tuesday for the first time in several weeks, according to The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham. It’s unclear when exactly Vazquez will return to action, but the 27-year-old provided a brief update on his expected timeline.
“I should be able to start throwing next week and hitting in two weeks,” Vazquez told Abraham. “It’s a lot better.”
Vazquez is out of a cast and has his finger supported by a small brace, per Abraham. The backstop plans to return to Florida, where he’s been doing conditioning work at the team facility, when the Red Sox travel north of the border Tuesday for a series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
It’s possible Vazquez could return sometime later this month, at which point he’ll likely split time with Sandy Leon, just as he was doing before landing on the DL. Blake Swihart’s emergence — and the growing trust manager Alex Cora seemingly has in his skills behind the plate — adds an interesting wrinkle to the catching situation, though, and definitely is something to watch.
Vazquez is hitting .213 with three home runs, 14 RBIs and a .548 OPS in 218 plate appearances over 60 games this season.
