Inside The Twins

Report: Twins and Padres in trade talks surrounding Christian Vazquez

Minnesota is also expressing interest in San Digeo's top starter, Dylan Cease.
Nolan O'Hara|
Minnesota Twins catcher Christian Vazquez receives congratulations from teammates after scoring in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit on July 28, 2024.
Minnesota Twins catcher Christian Vazquez receives congratulations from teammates after scoring in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit on July 28, 2024. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres have been in discussions on a trade that would bring catcher Christian Vazquez to San Diego, according to a report from The Athletic's Dan Hayes and Dennis Lin published Wednesday night.

Vazquez, 34, is in the final year of a three-year, $30 million contract and is due $10 million this season. A deal was not imminent, according to The Athletic, but both sides were eager to remain in trade talks as the Padres are desperate for a catcher with limited options available in free agency and the Twins are looking to reallocate resources elsewhere.

Among players the Twins are interested in, according to The Athletic, is top Padres starter Dylan Cease, who the Padres would like to keep but is also on an expiring contract and due for free agency after the season. From The Athletic's report, it was not clear if Minnesota and San Diego's discussions on the Vazquez trade involved Cease, and the Twins do have other needs, but the Twins "are among multiple teams that have expressed interest in acquiring Cease," per the report.

A key sticking point in a Vazquez trade, per The Athletic, is how much of Vazquez's salary the Twins would absorb in a potential deal. The Padres are currently projected to be above the luxury tax next season. But they're looking for an upgrade at catcher of Luis Campusano, who's considered one of the league's weaker defensive catchers. Vazquez fits that bill, even if offensively he did slash just .221/.327/.575 with seven homers and 27 RBIs last season for the Twins.

It's worth noting the trade is "not a forgone conclusion," according to The Athletic. But the Padres have been interested in Vazquez for a while, and the teams seem like they could be logical trade partners. Time will tell if a deal can get done.

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Nolan O'Hara
NOLAN O'HARA

Nolan O'Hara covers all things Minnesota sports, primarily the Timberwolves, for Bring Me The News and Sports Illustrated's On SI network. He previously worked as a copy editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism. His work has appeared in the Pioneer Press, Ratchet & Wrench magazine, the Minnesota Daily and a number of local newspapers in Minnesota, among other publications.

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