The Red Sox and Astros faced off in the 2021 American League Championship Series, but they've been on different trajectories this season, with Boston hovering around .500 while Houston has established itself as a legitimate World Series contender.
This reality was evident Monday night when the Red Sox traded catcher Christian Vázquez to the Astros for prospects Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu.
Boston remains in playoff contention -- three games back of a wild card spot entering Tuesday -- and both Valdez and Abreu could develop into impact players at the major league level. But it's clear the Astros are in win-now mode, while the Red Sox toed the line between buying and selling.
ESPN's David Schoenfield handed out grades to the Red Sox and Astros in wake of the Vázquez trade, and both clubs received a solid "B" from the baseball scribe.
ESPN's grade for Red Sox: B
ESPN's grade for Astros: B
The Astros already have an excellent defensive catcher in Martín Maldonado, but he doesn't offer much offensively. So, Vázquez will be an upgrade in that regard.
Houston also boosted its lineup Monday by acquiring Trey Mancini from the Baltimore Orioles in a three-team trade that included the Tampa Bay Rays. Mancini should improve the Astros' production at first base, where Yuli Gurriel has significantly regressed at age 38 after winning the AL batting crown in 2021.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, completed three swaps on the eve of the Major League Baseball trade deadline. In addition to trading away Vázquez, Boston acquired outfielder Tommy Pham from the Cincinnati Reds and catcher Reese McGuire from the Chicago White Sox.
All told, the Vázquez deal likely will be judged on the progression of Valdez and Abreu, two 23-year-old minor leaguers who ranked as Houston's No. 12 and No. 21 prospect, respectively, according to Baseball America.
"It's an interesting pair of prospects; certainly not high ceiling players, but both are close to major league ready and could profile as bench depth in 2023 and beyond," Schoenfield wrote for ESPN.com. "Given what the Red Sox have seen this year from the likes of Franchy Cordero, Jarren Durran and Jackie Bradley Jr., improving the bottom of the roster remains a clear priority."
Vázquez, who originally signed with the Red Sox in 2008, sure made his mark after debuting with Boston in 2014. He now heads to Houston in search of another championship, while the Red Sox continue to shuffle the deck in hopes of reinvigorating their title hopes for 2022 and beyond.
