Christian Vazquez injury: Boston Red Sox wide receiver removed from game with sore heel, questionable from playing against Phillies on Tuesday
Red Sox receiver Christian Vazquez was pulled in the seventh inning of Monday’s loss to the Yankees with a sore right heel, manager Ron Roenicke said. Vazquez is questionable playing Tuesday night against the Phillies.
Vazquez caught six innings and was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a ROT in defeat 6-3 before being replaced behind the plate by Kevin Plabecki.
“His heel bothers him, like plantar fasciitis,” Roenicke said. “It had bothered him before the game and always bothered him during the game. We just made sure we didn’t get to the point where he has to run out of time. “
Vazquez said the problem has surfaced in recent days.
“My heel hurts,” he said. “It bothered me a few days ago, but I hope it’s nothing serious.”
Vazquez has only been on the injured list once since returning from Operation Tommy John in 2016, when he missed two months in 2018 after breaking his pinky finger in a game against the Royals . He hopes to avoid a passage in IL this time.
“Let’s see how we feel tomorrow morning when I get to the stadium and see what happens,” he said.
If Vazquez were to miss a moment, Plawecki would step in as the Sox’s main receiver. Boston also has veterans Jonathan Lucroy, Juan Centeno and Jett Bandy at the Pawtucket alternative training site and would likely look to Lucroy as a backup option behind Plawecki.
Lucroy made the opening day list before being designated for assignment and surrendered to Pawtucket on July 29. He took on the role of a mentor with some of the club’s young players in Pawtucket.
“There were no other teams who called for me. It meant nobody wanted me, ”Lucroy said earlier this week. “That doesn’t mean it can’t happen yet. I’m here to keep playing games and keep working to improve myself. If the Red Sox need me, I’ll be available. And if another team needs me then I’m sure we can find something where I can go and play for them. So it’s just a matter of timeliness and improving my game here. So that’s all that worries me. I’m just happy to have a place to play and to have a place where I can work and improve.
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