One year after signing a long-term free agent contract, a prominent former Red Sox player is reportedly on the trading block.
The Twins are shopping longtime Boston catcher Christian Vázquez in trade talks, according to a report from FanSided’s Robert Murray. It’s unclear if any progress has been made on a deal. Vázquez just completed his first season in Minnesota after signing a three-year, $30 million contract with the Twins in December. He may be the victim of a payroll crunch for the reigning American League Central champions.
“The Twins are looking at shedding payroll and they have aggressively tried to move certain players,” Murray said in an appearance on Foul Territory. “One of them has been Christian Vázquez, according to sources who have spoken to the Twins.
Vázquez spent the first eight seasons of his major league career with the Red Sox before the club traded him to the Astros for prospects Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu in a somewhat controversial move before the 2022 trade deadline. Vázquez won a World Series title in Houston last fall, then hit free agency for the first time. He talked to the Cubs and some other clubs before reaching agreement on a deal with Minnesota that came with a $10 million average annual value.
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The 33-year-old Vázquez had a poor season at the plate, hitting just .223 with six homers, 32 RBIs and a .598 OPS in 102 games while splitting time with Ryan Jeffers behind the plate. In total, Vázquez started 91 games at catcher for the Twins while Jeffers got 71 starts and had a very strong offensive year, hitting .276 with 14 homers and a .858 OPS. Vázquez also started one game at first base.
The Twins may be looking to give Jeffers more playing time or install him as the full-time catcher moving forward and Vázquez is an obvious roadblock in that regard. To move him, the Twins may have to eat a significant chunk of the money remaining on his contract.
