Christian Vazquez Agrees to 3-Year, $30 Million Contract with Minnesota Twins

Christian Vazquez is officially Twinning

The 32-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball catcher has agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Minnesota Twins, according to ESPN.

Christian VazquezThe agreement is pending a physical.

Vazquez was sought by a handful of teams after compiling a .714 OPS last season split between the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros. In 2022, Twins catchers hit just .197 with a .630 OPS. Vazquez also ranked fourth among catchers in defensive runs saved last year.

The deal came together after an earlier trade saw two catchers change teams as Oakland Athletics MLB All-Star Sean Murphy was sent to Atlanta, while the Braves shipped William Contreras to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Vazquez was considered one of the better free agent catchers on the market after Willson Contreras. The elder Contreras brother signed a five-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals last week.

The Twins finished third in the AL Central after experiencing an injury-plagued year though their starter at catcher, Gary Sanchez played in 128 games, including 80 at catcher. He hit just .205 with a .659 OPS. Ryan Jeffers started 56 games behind the plate but didn’t fare much better in the batter’s box, hitting just .208.

Twins pitching ranked 18th in ERA with those two players getting the bulk of the starts at catcher. The Red Sox, Astros and Chicago Cubs were among the teams interested in Vazquez before he signed with the Twins.

The New York Post was first to report Vazquez signing with the Twins.

Boston Red Sox Catcher Christian Vazquez Traded to Houston Astros

Christian Vazquez is preparing for an astronomical change…

The Houston Astros have acquired the 31-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball catcher from the Boston Red Sox.

Christian VazquezThe Red Sox received infielder/outfielder Enmanuel Valdez and minor league outfielder Wilyer Abreu from the Astros in exchange for Vazquez.

Vazquez has a .759 OPS with 8 home runs and 42 RBIs this season and will provide an immediate upgrade over the Astros current starting catcher, Martin Maldonado.

Vazquez, who will be a free agent next season, had been with the Red Sox since 2014 and was the longest tenured player in the organization.

Valdez, 23, is batting .327 with a 1.016 OPS in 82 games for Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land. He is ranked as the Astros’ No. 12 prospect by Baseball America.

Abreu, 23, is batting .249 with a .858 OPS in 89 games with Corpus Christi. He is ranked as the Astros’ No. 21 prospect by Baseball America.

Randy Arozarena Makes MLB Playoff History by Stealing Home & Hitting Homer in Same Game

Randy Arozarena has made MLB playoff history…

The 26-year-old Cuban professional baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays – the leading candidate for American League Rookie of the Year — made history Thursday by becoming the first player in playoff history to steal home and hit a home run in the same game during Tampa Bay’s 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Randy Arozarena

The swipe marked the first steal of home in a playoff game since 2016, when Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez pulled off the feat in the National League Championship Series, and the first straight steal of home in a playoff game since Jackie Robinson‘s against Yogi Berra and the New York Yankees in 1955.

“I noticed the pitcher kind of wasn’t keeping attention to me. I was able to take a big enough lead and take that base,” Arozarena said through an interpreter. “That’s the first time I’ve ever stolen home.”

Arozarena, who is still a rookie despite setting postseason records with 10 home runs and 29 hits in 20 games during the 2020 playoffs, stole home against Boston reliever Josh Taylor to make the score 5-0 in the seventh inning after drawing a walk.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Arozarena had been asking him about stealing home for weeks. During the 2020 World Series, Rays outfielder Manuel Margot was thrown out when he attempted a similar steal off Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, but Arozarena kept insisting.

“He’s asked me all season long, ‘Verde, verde, verde’ — green light,” Cash said. “We finally gave it to him.”

Arozarena easily beat the throw home to catcher Christian Vazquez via headfirst slide.

Arozarena ranks second for the most home runs in a 20-game postseason span, tied with Carlos Beltran and Jim Thome with 11 and trailing just Babe Ruth, who leads with 12. His 11 career postseason home runs are five more than any other rookie in MLB history, with Evan Longoria ranking second with six.

Asked about his playoff success, Arozarena said the stakes create a desire to meet the moment.

“I just focus a little bit more,” Arozarena said. “Luckily it’s happening in October, when it means it’s closer to the World Series.”

Lionsgate & Pantelion Films to Release Higareda’s Spanish Comedy “3 Idiotas” in June

Martha Higareda is hitting the road this summer…

Lionsgate and Pantelion Films will release the Spanish-language comedy 3 Idiotas, starring the 33-year-old Mexican actress on June 2.

Martha Higareda

Directed by Carlos Bolado, the film centers on two nerdy friends and their arch rival from college who go in search of a long lost buddy who disappeared on graduation day.

The film, in which the characters relive college life and recall memories of their friend who inspired them to think differently even as the rest of the world called them idiots, also stars Alfonso Dosal, Christian Vázquez, Germán Valdés, Vadhir Derbez and Rodrigo Murray.

Higareda co-write the screenplay with Bolado, Antonio Abascal and Cory Brusseau. It is said to be a remake of the 2009 Bollywood film starring Indian superstar Aamir Khan.

Higareda’s film credits include McFarland, USA and No Manches Frida.