Red Sox send Vazquez to Astros for 2 prospects
The Boston Red Sox traded catcher Christian Vazquez to the Houston Astros for infield prospect Enmanuel Valdez and outfield prospect Wilyer Abreu.
The Red Sox are in Houston on Monday to start a three-game series against the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
The interesting situation of being traded across the diamond while warming up led to Vazquez being interviewed briefly by media before Red Sox public relations pulled him away:
Vazquez when asked if he was traded to Astros, “I think so, yeah.”
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 1, 2022
How does it feel: “It’s a business.”
Red Sox PR pulled him away. pic.twitter.com/fQ06LVzwW0
Vazquez addresses a main concern for Houston ahead of Tuesday's deadline. By WAR and wRC+, the Astros rank dead last in the majors at catcher.
The 31-year-old is hitting .282/.327/.432 with eight homers and one stolen base over 84 games in 2022. Vazquez also has a good reputation as a pitch-framer and game-caller behind the dish.
Valdez, 23, earned a promotion to Triple-A this year and has hit .327/.410/.606 with 21 homers and five steals in 82 games across two minor-league levels.
Abreu, 23, has been stationed at Double-A all season, hitting .249/.399/.459 with 15 homers and 23 steals over 89 contests.
In the wake of moving their starting catcher, the Red Sox also traded left-handed reliever Jake Diekman to the Chicago White Sox for Reese McGuire.
The deal for Vazquez is the latest move for an Astros team that added Trey Mancini from the Baltimore Orioles earlier Monday.