FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Before Saturday's 6-0 win over the Astros, the Red Sox and catcher Christian Vazquez agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2021 season with a club option for '22. Boston selected Vazquez, 27, in the ninth round of the 2008 MLB Draft.
"I feel awesome here in Boston," Vazquez said. "It's a great team, a great staff. I came [up through] the Minor Leagues here, and it feels like a family here, so it feels good."
In 211 Major League games, Vazquez has thrown out 42 percent of attempted basestealers (42-of-100), the highest rate for any catcher since at least 1987 (minimum of 200 games caught), ahead of Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez (41.7 percent). He missed the entire 2015 season recovering from Tommy John surgery,
"This is a kid that, he's worked hard at it," manager Alex Cora said. "I know him from back home [in Puerto Rico], and all sentiments apart, I think this is great. This is a guy that, he can catch. … I think he's a good hitter."
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Vazquez, a right-handed hitter, will split time behind the plate with Sandy Leon, a switch-hitter. But Cora is not ready to say what the split will be.
"I still feel that on a daily basis, we're going to make decisions based on matchups and how they fit in the lineup," Cora said. "Offensively, Sandy brings -- right-handed he's pretty solid, and left-handed -- you can do a lot of things with him, actually, offensively. Get guys moving. Same deal with Christian. We're very comfortable, comfortable with the way they prepare and call games."
Updates on starters
Before the game, Cora announced left-handers Thomas Pomeranz (left forearm) and Eduardo Rodriguez (right knee) will start the season on the disabled list. Steven Wright, who was given a 15-game suspension Friday by Major League Baseball for an offseason domestic violence incident, will travel to New York on Sunday night to have his surgically repaired left knee examined on Monday, returning to camp Monday night.
If Wright is medically cleared, he could be added to the Opening Day roster, which would start his suspension. He can serve the last six games of his suspension on a Minor League assignment.
As of now, the rotation will be Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello and Christopher Johnson, with Hector Velazquez, Justin Haley, and Marcus Walden vying for the remaining spot.
Marrero to Arizona
Saturday the Red Sox traded infielder Deven Marrero, the 24th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, to Arizona for a player to be named or cash.
Marrero, 27, appeared in 109 Major League games from 2015-17, making 50 starts at third base, nine at second base and five at shortstop. In '17, he played in a career-high 71 games, batting .211 (36-for-171) with four home runs and 27 RBIs.
Also on the move
Before the game, the Red Sox made several roster moves. Infielder Tzu-Wei Lin and left-handers Roenis Elias and Robby Scott were optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket. Catcher Dan Butler, infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr., and outfielders Rusney Castillo and Aneury Tavarez were reassigned to Minor League camp, but De Jesus will remain with the Major League club through the end of Spring Training.
Up next
Left-hander David Price is scheduled to start Sunday's Grapefruit League game as the Red Sox travel east on Daniels Parkway to face the Twins at 1:05 p.m. ET. Craig Kimbrel, Scott, Elias and Matt Barnes are also scheduled to pitch. Watch the game on MLB.TV.