It could be back to the future for the Boston Red Sox. Masslive.com’s Sean McAdam floated the possibility of chief baseball officer Craig Breslow trading for a former fan favorite ahead of Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline.
“Finding a catcher may not be a huge priority for the Red Sox, who are largely focused on pitching — both starters and relievers,” McAdam wrote Tuesday.
“But the Red Sox would like to obtain a second catcher whom they could play more frequently than they’re playing Connor Wong, if for no other reason to provide a breather for starter Carlos Narvaez,” McAdam added.
“Minnesota’s Christian Vázquez would be welcomed back. He wouldn’t cost much,” McAdam concluded.
Vazquez, 34, made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2014. He was a key member of the 2018 club which won the World Series.
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The next year was Vazquez’s best in the big leagues. In 2019, he set career highs in games played (138), doubles (26), home runs (23), RBIs (72) and slugging percentage (.477).
The Red Sox traded Vazquez to the Houston Astros before the 2022 deadline in the deal which landed Boston outfielder Wilyer Abreu. Vazquez helped the Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2022 World Series.
Vazquez signed with the Twins as a free agent before the 2023 season. This year, he’s hitting a career-worst .188 in 57 games. But his experience behind the plate and his versatility in the field (he can also play first base, second base and third base) could be what the Red Sox need to give Narvaez a breather.
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“Over his last 15 games before Tuesday, Narvaez was slashing .170/.214/.358 with 15 strikeouts in his last 53 at-bats,” McAdam noted.
According to Spotrac, Vazquez is in the final year of a three-year, $30 million contract and will be a free agent this winter.
Featured image via Brian Fluharty/Imagn Images
