Ex-Red Sox Homegrown Core Player Reportedly Placed On Trade Block
Could one of the more notable trades this winter include a player who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Boston Red Sox?
One member of the previous core reportedly is on the trade market this offseason and likely will be dealt.
The Minnesota Twins already have "aggressively tried to move" catcher Christian Vázquez in an effort to reduce payroll, FanSided's Robert Murray revealed on Foul Territory on Wednesday.
Vázquez hit .223 with 19 extra-base hits including six home runs, 32 RBIs and a .598 OPS (65 OPS+) in 102 games last season.
The 33-year-old catcher has declined rapidly since leaving the Red Sox at the 2022 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline.
Vázquez hit .262 with 183 extra-base hits including 54 home runs, 266 RBIs and a .700 OPS (86 OPS+) in 698 games for the Red Sox.
The steady-handed backstop was a core player for Boston for the 2018 World Series Championship season and 2021 playoff run.
Since then, however, Vázquez has not played up to par. He's owed $20 million over the next two seasons. For Minnesota to move that contract, they'd likely have to eat part of the deal.
It would be intriguing to see Vázquez return to Boston, where he'd likely see an uptick in play. However, Connor Wong has established himself as the primary catcher heading into 2024 and Reese McGuire completes a perfect platoon split -- for much cheaper.
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