Astros acquire Christian Vázquez for Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu.

[The Gray Eagle]

I've been following Vazquez for about 11 or 12 years now, so it's weird and kind of sad to see him go. He was a key player on what might have been the best Red Sox team ever. He came back strong after a bad arm injury that could have derailed his career. He will be a lot harder to replace than most people seem to think.

Adios, muchacho.

 

[scottyno]

Teams deal with trades all the time. How often do you see a guy on the field and get pulled in the middle of BP? You think a deal came together that quickly? If there was a chance of it being done tonight you don’t send the player out on the field. This could have been handled so much better than this by the front office. And don’t you think the player deserves better? Give Vasquez more respect than that!
And how about respecting the fans better than this? This is Tampa Bay baseball. Our front office should be better than that.

Trades are rarely made shortly before a game starts. What did you want them to do once it leaked?

 

[obert22]

uh, Tampa has been a well-run team for a while.

You’re right. This is Oakland A’s baseball.

 

[LogansDad]

Damn, that video is stunning. Feel awful for him.

Much like othets here, I recognize that he was frustrating at times, but I never felt like he was putting anything but 100% effort into this team. I think we will miss him more than a lot of people realize.

 

[billy ashley]

honestly, I don't know why folks would be upset.

I like CV (again, he's a top 5 catcher in this org... which given it's history is absolutely bonkers) but what should this team do, stand pat and not retool for the future?

 

[obert22]

Trades are rarely made shortly before a game starts. What did you want them to do once it leaked?

if you’re talking trade of the player and it’s progressing why don’t you pull him from the lineup/warm up? Isn’t that what well run teams do?

 

[Cesar Crespo]

honestly, I don't know why folks would be upset.

I like CV (again, he's a top 5 catcher in this org... which given it's history is absolutely bonkers) but what should this team do, stand pat and not retool for the future?

Who is upset? Some are shocked.

Hard to be upset without knowing the return.

 

[opes]

I mean, its better than what we got out in the OF. By a slim margin, but whatever. Makin the big moves

Edit re: Pham

 

[YTF]

That's tough to take. Vaz is a brick.

Like he says, it's a business. I'm always going to remember the unbridled joy he showed when recording outs on the basepaths.

Throwing or running?

 

[NDame616]

Who is upset? Some are shocked.

Hard to be upset without knowing the return.

I don't get how anyone who's been following this team the past 72 hours can be shocked we traded Vazquez

 

[scottyno]

if you’re talking trade of the player and it’s progressing why don’t you pull him from the lineup/warm up? Isn’t that what well run teams do?

They're probably talking trades involving half the team. Some of those trades will happen and some won't. You want to have half the team not warm up because they might be traded?

 

[SoxinSeattle]

Teams deal with trades all the time. How often do you see a guy on the field and get pulled in the middle of BP? You think a deal came together that quickly? If there was a chance of it being done tonight you don’t send the player out on the field. This could have been handled so much better than this by the front office. And don’t you think the player deserves better? Give Vasquez more respect than that!
And how about respecting the fans better than this? This is Tampa Bay baseball. Our front office should be better than that.

You are worked up over this. It probably only happened this way because he was in Houston. Might have leaked from their side and made things weird.

 

[johnlos]

Teams deal with trades all the time. How often do you see a guy on the field and get pulled in the middle of BP? You think a deal came together that quickly? If there was a chance of it being done tonight you don’t send the player out on the field. This could have been handled so much better than this by the front office. And don’t you think the player deserves better? Give Vasquez more respect than that!
And how about respecting the fans better than this? This is Tampa Bay baseball. Our front office should be better than that.

Player deserves better? Respecting fans?

He knew he was rumored in trades and I'm sure both him and the Red Sox wanted him to take BP if he plays in the game. If the front office knew a trade was certain they would have told him before BP because any risk of injury is not worth it. Simple as that. I dunno where these imaginary norms are coming from anyway.

 

[TapeAndPosts]

Another 2018 player gone. When players from the 2004 Sox left, they were remembered as one of the 25 and there was always a bit of celebration to that. Somehow when players from the 2018 Sox leave, there's an extra bittersweet because we all hoped that team would be a dynasty and it didn't work out that way.

Farewell Christian! And best of luck to you.

 

[cantor44]

Makes sense to sell at this point, and he's an obvious player to sell. But boy I really did like him. He had a really bad year last year in all facets, and I thought he was cooked, but he rebounded this year. Hope they got good prospects. Though sad regardless in its way. But now keep going Chaim.

 

[Red Averages]

Rough fucking business. Fans are trained not to fall in love with players and face that issue ever year. We forget the players often face it just once a lifetime. And they don't get to prepare for it like we do because they are busy with their jobs.

And all of the real life implications on your family and living situation of playing in Boston one minute and then being sent to Houston (or anywhere else) without any ability to say no. Spending every day with 30-40 people for years and then never again etc.

I had a friend who played professional basketball in Europe. His team cut him for salary reasons after playing for over 5 years, team captain etc. , They left the city they loved with their newborn and tried to look for another job (team). A month later he was signed with the best team in the league and they came back to play in their favorite city, where he was revered weeks earlier. His wife was excited to see her old friends and get a sense of normalcy after a brutal month. He was booed the entire game by his “fans” and his wife was brought to teams at how mean people were. Real people indeed. I’ve never looked at these business decisions the same since. Apologies for the tangent.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

if you’re talking trade of the player and it’s progressing why don’t you pull him from the lineup/warm up? Isn’t that what well run teams do?

Around the trade deadline, guys get pulled DURING games, much less BP, because a trade comes together quickly.

 

[Mueller's Twin Grannies]

I hope he comes back in the off-season if neither Wong (when healthy) nor Hernández take a commanding hold of the job.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

I don't get how anyone who's been following this team the past 72 hours can be shocked we traded Vazquez

Wrong kind of shocked? He's been here 8 years. It'll be weird without him.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Please provide the rest of us the information about why he would be a great get.

Ok will do. Still a pretty young once promising top pitching prospect who is worth a flier on. Not sure if Astros would give up on him at 24 and after many injuries but still rated as their #4 prospect. 303 Ks in 208 ip but 99 walks.

 

[NDame616]

Wrong kind of shocked? He's been here 8 years. It'll be weird without him.

I suppose. I had it as a foregone conclusion he was gone.

Now, if X is traded, I'd ne shocked

 

[Coachster]

But now we've traded for masturbating Reese McGuire. We're all set!

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/08/red-sox-to-acquire-reese-mcguire-from-white-sox.html

 

[budcrew08]

Seriously though how do you screw this up by letting him take BP and questions from the press like that and have to have your PR team pull him off the field? You had no idea you were trading him today? What a colossal screw up by the front office. It’s embarrassing.

Colossal screw up by the front office. The motto of the 2022 Boston Red Sox.

 

[OCD SS]

For a few weeks of a kinda sorta good catcher I wouldn’t get my hopes up all that much. I’m guessing a lower level lottery ticket and an org filler type.

It’s 2 months + the playoffs for one of the better catchers in the league. Prices might come from Castillo levels, but the return you describe isn’t worth cashing in the season vs a 20% chance at the postseason.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Ok will do. Still a pretty young once promising top pitching prospect who is worth a flier on. Not sure if Astros would give up on him at 24 and after many injuries but still rated as their #4 prospect. 303 Ks in 208 ip but 99 walks.

Former top 10 prospect in all of baseball.
Forrest Whitley Recently struggled with some issues in mid July but everything was fine structurally.

I don't mind gambling but I hope the other piece is less of a reclamation prospect.

 

[RobertS975]

id rather have Ronaldo and Wong just catch the rest of the way and move Plawecki too

I think Wong is hurt right now.

 

[Bergs]

But now we've traded for masturbating Reese McGuire. We're all set!

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/08/red-sox-to-acquire-reese-mcguire-from-white-sox.html

Probably removes the possibility of re-signing Vaz.

 

[Cellar-Door]

Trades are rarely made shortly before a game starts. What did you want them to do once it leaked?

On the one hand sure, on the other it seems like another in a long list of treating players like poker chips, something Benentendi criticized recently. There is something to be said for treating your players slightly better than like shit as a long term strategy.

 

[scottyno]

It’s 2 months + the playoffs for one of the better catchers in the league. Prices might come from Castillo levels, but the return you describe isn’t worth cashing in the season vs a 20% chance at the postseason.

He wasn't even one of the better catchers in the AL east

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

He wasn't even one of the better catchers in the AL east

and the Sox odds of making the post season aren’t 20%

 

[DeadlySplitter]

Astros #28 and #29 on mlb.com

View: https://twitter.com/alexspeier/status/1554247934602092546

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

The guy played hard, appeared to be a good teammate, and never shied away from a big moment. I look forward to him taking Cole deep in the playoffs.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Wilyer Abreu
Emmanuel Valdez

I guess they are interesting anyway.

 

[sodenj5]

So neither are pitching prospects…

 

[Daniel_Son]

So 28th and 29th prospect in the Astros system. Kinda disappointing.

 

[chawson]

Abreu was Houston's #21 prospect, per Fangraphs:

Abreu has all-fields power and good feel for the strike zone, enough that he could play a low-end corner outfield role in the big leagues. A hole in his swing (high fastballs) and tepid scout sentiment about his defense in center field (even though he runs pretty well) are round-down aspects of the profile.

 

[Pandemonium67]

Bam, muchachos.
Adios for now and maybe see you again soon.

 

[cshea]

78 bb / 108 K for Abreu in 411 PA. 3 true outcomes

 

[Salem's Lot]

So 28th and 29th prospect in the Astros system. Kinda disappointing.

Don’t even bother learning their names, it’s unlikely that either guy will ever play meaningful innings in the big leagues. For everyone screaming “sell” this is what you usually get. Career minor leaguers.

 

[chawson]

Both Valdez and Abreu are Rule 5 eligible and would need to be added to the 40-man this winter, it seems.

 

[richgedman'sghost]

You’re right. This is Oakland A’s baseball.

For what's its worth, Marley Rivera a reporter for ESPN said that Cora had already informed Vazquez that he had been traded even before BP started. Sorry it was a tv report so I don't have proof but trust me

 

[Deweys New Stance]

Valdez put up pretty big #’s (1016 combined OPS) in a season split between AA and AAA this year. So there’s that. On the other hand, this was his first time at AAA and he’ll be 24 in December.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Very disappointing return for Vazquez. I was expecting a top 15 prospect given Houston’s need at catcher.

 

[Marciano490]

Both Valdez and Abreu are Rule 5 eligible and would need to be added to the 40-man this winter, it seems.

Hey! We got Valdez and Abreu from Houston, awesome!

In all seriousness, identifying prospects buried in other organizations’ depth charts is one of Bloom’s strengths, no? I’ll take a couple lotto tix for a few months of a decent catcher.

 

[SouthernBoSox]

It’s kinda tough to be anything but disappointed in the players coming back there.

They aren’t without intrigued but it’s two guys who would most likely be available in the rule 5 next year.

 

[Big Papa Smurph]

MLB.com blurbs (#28 and #29)

Wilyer Abreu
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40
Abreu first became eligible to sign out of Venezuela in 2015, but he had to wait two more years before landing a $300,000 bonus from the Astros. He went homerless in his first two pro seasons and went deep just twice in his third, but he came back from the pandemic layoff with a new swing and approach. He smacked 16 homers in High-A in 2021, showing some of the best left-handed power in the system.
Early in his career, Abreu had a relatively flat stroke, hit a lot of balls on the ground and didn't turn on many pitches. Last season, he showed a much more aggressive swing designed to launch balls to his pull side. While he produces some of the better exit velocities among Houston farmhands, he also struck out at a 29 percent clip in 2021 and will have to prove he can make enough contact against more advanced pitching.
Abreu broke into pro ball as a center fielder. While he still sees some action up the middle, he's more of a corner outfielder who gets most of his playing time in right. He's an average runner with solid arm strength who registered 12 assists in 74 outfield games last year.

Emmanuel Valdez
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 40
Valdez garnered a $450,000 bonus out of the Dominican Republic in 2015 based on his hitting ability. He didn't advance to full-season ball until 2018 and didn't do much to stand out during his first four years as a pro, but he has been a different hitter since returning from the pandemic layoff in 2020. He led the Astros system with 26 homers last year and is posting the best numbers of his career this season while advancing to Double-A.
Valdez has done a better job of managing the strike zone since losing a season to the pandemic, and the added discipline has helped him tap more into his power. He's making more consistent and harder contact with his quick left-handed swing. He's more of a power-over-hit type but could provide 20 or more homers per season.
Most of Valdez's value will come from his bat because his speed, arm strength and defense are all fringy. He has played every position except for center field and pitcher as a pro, playing mostly second and third base the last two years while getting his first starts in the outfield corners in 2022. He fits best at the keystone and profiles as an offensive-minded utilityman.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Valdez put up pretty big #’s in a season split between AA and AAA this year. So there’s that. On the other hand, he’ll be 24 in December.

Doesn't strike out a ton and has improved his walk rate over the years, too.

 

[strek1]

So 28th and 29th prospect in the Astros system. Kinda disappointing.

Of course. I'll be shocked if we can get a top 10 prospect from anybody with what we're dealing.

 

[ZMart100]

Both Valdez and Abreu are Rule 5 eligible and would need to be added to the 40-man this winter, it seems.

I don't think either are in much danger of being selected.

 

[Yaz4Ever]

Please provide the rest of us the information about why he would be a great get.

Whew, it’s not just me. Lol.