FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Already the favorite to win the second catching spot for the Red Sox, Christian Vazquez appeared to all but end the competition with an impressive showing in Sunday's 7-2 win over the Twins.
Vazquez displayed the strength of his surgically-repaired right elbow twice by throwing out two runners. And he added a towering, three-run homer to left against righty reliever Ryan Pressly.
"He was lightning-quick behind the plate," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "When you think about his ability to shut down a running game, and then to get Chris [Sale] out of a jam with an inning-ending pickoff at second base, his ability to impact a game from behind the plate was on display today.