Could the Garrett Crochet Trade Help The Twins Shed Salary?

[Matthew Lenz]

The Boston Red Sox made a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. The move has bolstered the Red Sox rotation, but leaves them with virtually no reliable catching depth. Might they be interested in a rendezvous with an old friend?

Image courtesy of © Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Former Twins pitcher and current Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox, Craig Breslow, has made it clear that the Red Sox are looking to re-establish themselves as contenders in 2025 and beyond. A team and fan base that is used to winning has gone three years without making the postseason, and the Red Sox brass has promised an aggressive offseason to end that “drought”. After missing out on some of the top names in free agency, they finally landed 25-year-old Garrett Crochet from the White Sox for a package of prospects, including catcher Kyle Teel (#25 overall prospect per MLB.com), outfielder Braden Montgomery (#54), infielder Chase Meidroth (#13 team prospect), and pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez (#14 team prospect).

Dealing Teel, who many expected would help the Red Sox at some point in 2025, has weakened an already remarkably thin position group in the top levels of the organization. Connor Wong (the incumbent backstop) was solid offensively with the Red Sox last year, posting a 110 wRC+, but has major question marks defensively. After Wong, they will look for one of Carlos Narvaez (acquired from the New York Yankees after the Crochet deal), Mickey Gasper, and Seby Zavala to earn the backup job in Spring Training. If the team wants to compete with the best of the best, they need to find a more reliable catcher to shoulder the workload when Wong needs to rest. Enter the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins' current payroll sits around $140 million, and the front office has been tasked with getting that number closer to $130 million. The team needs a right-handed hitting corner outfield bat and a low- to medium-leverage reliever who can get left-handed hitters out, so it’s actually more ideal if the front office can shed $15 to $20 million in payroll to leave room to add in those areas. Fittingly enough, the Twins have a $10-million catcher they’re more or less willing to donate to any team who will take on part or all of his salary. 

Despite his offensive woes, Christian Vázquez actually seems like a really good fit for this Red Sox team. He spent the first eight years of his career with the organization—including 2018, when the Red Sox won the World Series. Winning a second World Series with the Houston Astros in 2022, he knows what it takes to win and could be a Carlos Correa-esque leader in their young clubhouse. Moreover, Vázquez could be the mentor that Wong needs to improve his defensive metrics behind the plate. In 2024, Wong’s framing metrics put him in the 9th percentile of all catchers, while Vázquez was in the 84th percentile. Wong’s Blocks Above Average finished in the 3rd percentile, whereas Vázquez finished in the 63rd percentile. Overall, Wong’s Fielding Run Value was in the 1st percentile and Vázquez’s was in the 78th percentile. Wong is still in his pre-arbitration years and has four more years of team control, so the Red Sox have reason to spend up and invest in the rookie.

It’s hard to know what it would take for the Twins to move Vázquez, but given his lack of production at the plate, they would have to settle for virtually no talent in return; the main benefit of a trade would be moving the bulk of his salary. While Teel likely wasn’t going to be on the Opening Day roster, he was likely to impact the 2025 Red Sox at some point. Given their goals and question marks surrounding one of the most important positions on the field, the Red Sox may be just the right team to take advantage of, in this moment. Maybe one of their truly unplayable quasi-incumbents (Gasper?) could even be the return, to help the Twins maintain a semblance of catching depth for themselves. At the very least, it's an opportunity worth exploring.

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[Bob Twins Fan Since 61]

I had similar thought after reading about that trade.  Vazquez spend a bunch of years in the Red Sox organization.  They know him well.   Agree the return will be minimal.  I am in favor of doing it if salary saved is used to secure another asset that addresses (RH outfielder and LH relief pitcher) a weakness.  Though will need to find at least viable backup catcher to Jeffers.  Current roster options look weak at least for 2025.

[tony&rodney]

The Twins can trade either of their catchers and save some money, but before they subtract a catcher they need someone to take the spot. At the very least if someone goes, another quick move needs to follow, meaning an agreement to add a catcher was already in place more or less. It is really hard to play baseball without a catcher and it isn't like just anyone can even catch MLB pitchers. 

Seems like the Twins will be checking back with everyone in early January after the majority of free agents have settled with various clubs and teams are searching for trade opportunities.

[sweetmusicviola16]

Interesting how things get spun. First we read how bad Vazquez is then in the next paragraph it's how good he would be for the BoSox. Be consistent. So if we trade Vazquez all of a sudden our catching situation is as bad as Boston's is. Don't get me wrong, I've never liked this signing. But without him now our catching looks very bleak. Camargo could be the backup. The team has so much confidence in him that he doesn't get to play when he is in the show.

[darin617]

1 hour ago, Bob Twins Fan Since 61 said:

I had similar thought after reading about that trade.  Vazquez spend a bunch of years in the Red Sox organization.  They know him well.   Agree the return will be minimal.  I am in favor of doing it if salary saved is used to secure another asset that addresses (RH outfielder and LH relief pitcher) a weakness.  Though will need to find at least viable backup catcher to Jeffers.  Current roster options look weak at least for 2025.

Then they also need to sign a veteran catcher as well. A bunch of garbage catchers have been getting 8.5M a year so unless they dumpster dive they will end up spending a good chunk on a backup catcher.

[DocBauer]

I thought the Cubs and the Bo Sox were perfect trade targets for Vazquez. Make no mistake, I don't want to trade Vazquez if the payroll crunch wasn't in place. But this is a perfect "rubber meets rode" opportunity for the Twins to move Vazquez, free up $ for a move, and then trade prospects to the Dodgers, for example, to find a young catcher to team with Jeffers.

Kinda stinks Teel is off the board for a Twins acquisition target, but it sure offers up a trade possibility for the Twins to move forward.

[old nurse]

Chicago now has 2 catching prospects. Have they soured on Quero? 

[tony&rodney]

3 minutes ago, old nurse said:

Chicago now has 2 catching prospects. Have they soured on Quero? 

Don't think so. White Sox are adding as many pieces as possible to find out who can play. Three catchers are almost always needed to get through a 162 game season. The Twins have been incredible fortunate the last two seasons.

[Matthew Lenz]

20 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Don't think so. White Sox are adding as many pieces as possible to find out who can play. Three catchers are almost always needed to get through a 162 game season. The Twins have been incredible fortunate the last two seasons.

I guess luck or "fortune" can be part of the explanation, but they've practically split their catchers 50:50 by design. Takes off a lot of wear and tear.

[NYCTK]

Well the Red Sox already traded for a backup catcher so they're not particularly interested. 

[tony&rodney]

5 minutes ago, Matthew Lenz said:

I guess luck or "fortune" can be part of the explanation, but they've practically split their catchers 50:50 by design. Takes off a lot of wear and tear.

Oh I agree that the Twins have been proactive and kept the catching situation healthy by splitting duties. It is still good fortune/luck to go two seasons with just these two guys. Catching is incredibly hard on the body. I was a pitcher who wound up catching 100 plus games as a fill in. Tomorrow I go in for my fourth surgery on my knees (two each). Fun, but paying the price now. Until I actually caught two nine inning games back to back I didn't really know how hard it is on the body. 

[Doctor Gast]

6 hours ago, old nurse said:

Chicago now has 2 catching prospects. Have they soured on Quero? 

IMO Teel wasn't their 1st choice. The trade was fair but CWS wanted much more, For some reason they settled for this trade. Keel has the potential to be a very valuable elite catcher. Edgar Quero can hit but is far inferior to Keel as far as the defensive side. IMO Quero is still a good catching prospect but needs to develop his defensive skills more. 

[Mark G]

It was only 2 years ago that the Twins were announcing this great free agent signing of a starting caliber catcher to shore up the position and mentor Jeffers, and never mind that paltry 30 mil we guaranteed him, it was well worth it.  Here we are 2 years later willing to take any minor return from whomever is willing to take the last 10 mil off our hands.  So.......which do we need more?  A catcher, or 10 mil?  Why do I think the answer to that question is going to go a long way to telling me how this season is going to go?  🫤

[old nurse]

8 hours ago, NYCTK said:

Well the Red Sox already traded for a backup catcher so they're not particularly interested. 

A catcher that might profile similarly to Vazquez at 1/10 the salary. All it cost was a very high upside prospect.  

[NYCTK]

19 minutes ago, old nurse said:

A catcher that might profile similarly to Vazquez at 1/10 the salary. All it cost was a very high upside prospect.  

I wouldn't call the prospect particularly high upside. A fine but dime a dozen A+ pitching prospect. Something between Prielipp and Bowen. 

Plus international signing money they're gonna use to try to get Sasaki. 

[Doctor Gast]

Even before they traded Keel I thought Vazquez would be a good fit for them. I thought bundling both Vazquez & Paddack. But BOS would have their attention on more top-end SPs. IMO it's not a good idea to trade Vazquez because he's the foundation of the catching core, stabilizes the pitching, good leader, & we'd have to kick in a lot of money for someone to take him. Then spend money for a new inferior catcher who doesn't know the pitching staff. I'd rather trade Jeffers for many reasons I have stated many times before for a young promising MLB-ready catcher. IMO Vazquez isn't as interested in money as years, we can renegociate his contract for less per year.

[Otaknam]

1 hour ago, Mark G said:

It was only 2 years ago that the Twins were announcing this great free agent signing of a starting caliber catcher to shore up the position and mentor Jeffers, and never mind that paltry 30 mil we guaranteed him, it was well worth it.  Here we are 2 years later willing to take any minor return from whomever is willing to take the last 10 mil off our hands.  So.......which do we need more?  A catcher, or 10 mil?  Why do I think the answer to that question is going to go a long way to telling me how this season is going to go?  🫤

That’s well said! The Vasquez signing was always a head scratcher given the cost for three years. The team is no longer in win mode, just salary dump mode, and moving Vasquez for nothing, if they can, will be an example. The actions of ownership clearly shows it is indifferent to winning after the taxpayers gave them a new beautiful ballpark, raising the team’s value. Do you think the Polhads will give some of the profit from the sale back to the taxpayers? Just kidding! We know that answer, don’t we!

[TopGunn#22]

I had actually posted that the Red Sox were a good possible destination for Vasquez before the trade that sent Teel out to bring Crochet in, and I stated it again after the trade was made.  Matthew...are you reading my posts???

Yes, the Red Sox Sox did make a minor deal with the Yankees to bring Carlos Narvaez in, but this is CARLOS Narvaez...NOT Omar Narvaez.  Omar was a solid catcher who could hit a little.  CARLOS is a bit of a mystery.  He has all of 13 AB's in his major league career at 26 years old.  

I must confess I know little about Carlos.  I've never seen a scouting report etc...  Still, I think the Red Sox are desperate to compete this year, and Vasquez would be a major upgrade.  It's a certainty that the Twins should expect very little back if Boston were to take on the entire $10 million.  I would think Boston would be interested, and really, when it comes to Vasquez and a trade with our current ownership and FO, the primary objective is to shed the $10 million.

Since Narvaez has all of 13 AB's as a major leaguer, maybe Boston would swap him straight up for Vasquez.  That would give the Twins a bit of a backstop (pun intended) until a more consequential trade with the Dodgers centered around Rushing or Cartaya could be made.  The Red Sox are familiar and comfortable with Vasquez.  He makes sense for them.  Boston does NOT have to be the destination for Vasquez, but it's one of the better ones. 

I would actually like to see the Twins move Vasquez this year, bring in a Rushing or Cartaya, and then move Jeffers after the 2025 season, especially if Jeffers has a slightly above average offensive year or better.  I have never been a fan of Jeffers.  Too inconsistent offensively.  Too obviously lacking defensively.  Get a young guy to build around, see who has developed in our minor league system after this next season.  Has Cardenas improved his hitting?  Has Camargo improved his defense?  I'd like to see an entirely different catching tandem at a low controllable cost going forward starting in 2026.  

[NYCTK]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

IMO Vazquez isn't as interested in money as years, we can renegociate his contract for less per year.

No you can't. What agent would agree to that? He sees FA catcher comps getting 2 years 13. So you want to make this renegotiated deal, 3 years $23? Deferring 2 million from this season? That's not moving the needle at all. 

[PatPfund]

I'd love to see Vasquez go back to Boston, both for him and for us. And, yeah, this third year at $10 million has turned painful, but in case people forgot, it is the only reason he signed here (the Twins were the only ones offering a third year), and Vasquez truly stabilized one of the weakest parts of our team.

The guy is a pro's pro, has probably been key to keeping Jeffers healthy, and it is a bummer the collapse of the Twins' financial model (big loss in TV revenue, feeble post-pandemic attendance) has them scaling back. But that's where we are.

[NYCTK]

1 hour ago, Otaknam said:

That’s well said! The Vasquez signing was always a head scratcher given the cost for three years. The team is no longer in win mode, just salary dump mode, and moving Vasquez for nothing, if they can, will be an example. The actions of ownership clearly shows it is indifferent to winning after the taxpayers gave them a new beautiful ballpark, raising the team’s value. Do you think the Polhads will give some of the profit from the sale back to the taxpayers? Just kidding! We know that answer, don’t we!

Are you suggesting billionaires care only about capital and not their communities? How dare you!