Vazquez’ equipment was being transported from Pawtucket to Boston Thursday, a sign that Vazquez would likely follow that equipment to Boston by Friday for the start of the Red Sox/Blue Jays series. WEEI reported Thursday that Vazquez was not going on the PawSox’ trip to Lehigh Valley.

If this is the case (and there’s been no official word from the team), then so much for the Red Sox’ conservative approach to easing Vazquez back into the majors.

Four games behind the plate at Pawtucket, including two errors, and Christian Vazquez has been deemed ready to take over Boston’s catching duties after missing a year with Tommy John surgery?


The Red Sox are ignoring the warnings of what happened to Orioles’ backstop Matt Wieters, who had setbacks from his Tommy John surgery comeback because he attempted to come back too soon.

This would be a dramatic move after eight games and a 4-4 record. We don’t know whether a Vazquez promotion would mean a Blake Swihart demotion to Pawtucket or whether they’d go with three catchers.

Vazquez has started out well hitting (6 for 13), but on Tuesday he had a passed ball and missed a throw from the outfield that cost Pawtucket a run.

Swihart had three passed balls, but he catches knuckleballer Steven Wright. He missed a popup he should have caught off Mark Trumbo’s bat, and he made Swihart pay with a big home run in a 9-5 loss.

Pawtucket manager Kevin Boles has already been quoted as saying that Vazquez’s throwing is still a tick down.

The Red Sox are usually very cautious with guys coming back from major surgeries, and if this means they’re thrusting Vazquez into the fray after having played only four Triple A games behind the plate and made the change after watching Swihart for six games of the 2016 season, then it seems like an over-aggressive move.


Vazquez had two base runners try to steal off him. He caught one. Is this all we need to see?

Swihart caught Boston’s best pitcher so far – Steven Wright - but apparently is being blamed for the lack of success Clay Buchholz has had.

And whither Ryan Hanigan? Hanigan is a good catcher who gives you a strong at-bat. He should play more than just when Joe Kelly pitches.

Here’s this week’s mailbag:

Where is Brandon Workman and does have a shot to play for the Red Sox this year? If he is healthy now wouldn’t he be a perfect fit as a fifth starter or long reliever?

Marco, Austin, Texas

Brandon is rehabbing his Tommy John surgery in Fort Myers. I would think late June at the earliest, but likely sometime in July. He’ll return as a reliever. Nobody is really sure whether he’ll be a factor this season.

John Farrell’s managing has always been to let the players be themselves. If the Red Sox come out of April with a losing record, will John Farrell be let go and replaced with Torey Lovullo.

Tommy, Waitefield, Vt.

Not April. It wouldn’t happen until later. Dave Dombrowski said a good starting assessment of the team is after 40 games. I doubt the Red Sox would be so far out by then that a change would be made. It would have to be really bad by the end of May or mid June for anything to happen.


Is the bullpen as good as it is portrayed or is everyone caught up in the hype?

Keith, Milton, Vt.

I think it’s good. It won’t be good if it keeps getting used this frequently.

What role do you expect for Steven Wright this year? Given that it’s unlikely the starting rotation will remain intact for the entire season, is he the likely fifth man?

Don, East Falmouth

Wright will likely go to the bullpen when Eduardo Rodriguez returns unless there’s a starter that’s struggling and that guy goes to the pen.

With all the talk about catchers stealing strikes by framing pitches, do you think some umpires will be overly conscious of this and be tougher when calling pitches behind those catchers with the strongest reputations for it?

Larry, Norwood

Umpires think this is hilarious that people actually think that the catcher framing a pitch will change the way they call a pitch. Umpires are very aware of it because they think it’s nonsense.

If the Sox finally decide to trade Pablo Sandoval, what team would potentially be a good match and how much of his contract would the Sox have to eat to get it done? Would San Diego, Cincinnati, or Milwaukee be possible trade partners?

Patrick, Mattapoisett

San Diego, maybe because they could use some offense, but the other teams are in selling mode so I doubt they want a veteran player like that. It has to be a contending team that may have suffered an injury at third base and needs a veteran player who has a big time reputation in the postseason, like Sandoval.


How much does a catcher matter to a pitcher?

Jim, Billerica

I can see a pitcher feeling comfortable with a certain catcher. That’s fine. But a veteran pitcher knows what he’s supposed to throw. I remember John Lackey liking to throw to Vazquez, but he said, ‘I’m calling the game’ because Lackey knew what he wanted to throw in certain situations. So it’s a tad overrated.

Are the Red Sox making panic moves already?

Bill, Hyannis

I think when you rush a young catcher back to the majors after he’s missed a year with Tommy John, yes, I do. When you replace your young starting catcher after eight games in which you’re 4-4, yes, I think you should classify it that way.

Would the Red Sox consider bringing Allen Craig back if he hits at Pawtucket?

Jill, Plymouth

I would think the answer is yes when you’re paying the guy $9.5 million. He’s certainly gotten a lot better since last season and maybe now he’s getting closer to the productive hitter he was for the Cardinals. But it’s all about timing. He needs to be able to have an opportunity to play regularly. He’s shown that when he comes off the bench he’s not that effective

Do you think Dave Dombrowski did enough this offseason to help the Red Sox?


Bill, Miami

He certainly acted quickly in obtaining an ace (David Price) and a closer (Craig Kimbrel). He also added Chris Young, who is supposed to be very good against lefthanded pitching. I always thought he needed a No. 2 starter, but his assessment and that of his staff was that the Red Sox had enough starting pitching.

I know everybody is lauding Hanley Ramirez, but we can we trust he’ll keep it up?

Tommy, Las Vegas

Great question Tommy. None of us know. Hanley looks as if he’s matured. It looks as if he really likes playing first base and he’s playing it well. We also don’t know if he’ll get injured again. I think the good news is they have a replacement in Travis Shaw and they could out Pablo back at third if something happened.

You mentioned that Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion could be good replacements for David Ortiz. But what about Sam Travis?

Vanessa, Salisbury, N.C.

We’re talking about replacing a perennial 30 home run/100 RBI guy in the middle of the lineup. Not sure you can expect or even project that from Travis. I agree that at some point they need to make room for him, but let’s see how he does in Triple A first. Bautista would be a devastating hitter at Fenway. He’d create excitement and he’d make the rest of the order more effective.

Could the Red Sox trade Swihart for a starting pitcher?

Stan, Boston

Well, Red Sox first base coach Ruben Amaro Jr. wanted to make Swihart the centerpiece of a deal for Cole Hamels when he was the Phillies’ GM last season. Swihart would again be a centerpiece type player in such a deal, but right now you don’t see many opportunities like that for someone of Hamels’s stature. James Shields might be available, but you wouldn’t trade Swihart for him. So those deals are harder to come by.

I see a lot of inconsistency with Mookie Betts. Any reason?

Vince, Pensacola, Fla.

Young player. What older veterans learn to do is reduce the down times and the slumps. As he gains more experience, the 1-for-21 he got into recently will become 1-for-10. It’s all about adjustments, recognizing the reason for the funk and then figuring out a plan to get out of it. Mookie has already figured out a lot of things. He should be fine and be an All-Star player.

The Red Sox activated Jeff Rutledge when Pablo went down. Why not Deven Marrero?

Tom, Reading, Pa.

Another head-scratcher for me. The backup infielder is a defensive position and Rutledge isn’t near the fielder that Marerro is.

Do the Red Sox look like a playoff team?

Rick, Hanover

They didn’t look like one when I made my preseason picks in March and they still don’t to me. But they have plenty of time to prove me and others wrong. They have the talent. Their starting pitching has to be far more consistent than it’s been for it to happen. I don’t think they’ll have trouble scoring runs and I think their bullpen is solid if not overused.

Do you think Craig Kimbrel will feel the heat in Boston?

Ted, Braintree

Doesn’t strike me as the type who would feel the heat. I think he’s going to be very good, an asset. I thought it was an excellent move by Dombrowski.

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