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Red Sox vs. Blue Jays lineups: Christian Vazquez starts behind the plate

Christian Vazquez is back in Boston, and the circumstances surrounding that fact are certainly not his fault.

By Ben Buchanan
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Fresh from Pawtucket, Christian Vazquez will get the start behind the plate for the Red Sox Friday night as they take on the Toronto Blue Jays (again) in Fenway Park.

Lineup

BOSTON RED SOX TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Mookie Betts, RF Kevin Pillar, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B Josh Donaldson, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS Jose Bautista, RF
David Ortiz, DH Edwin Encarnacion, DH
Hanley Ramirez, 1B Troy Tulowitzki, SS
Travis Shaw, 3B Justin Smoak, 1B
Brock Holt, LF Michael Saunders, LF
Christian Vazquez, C Ryan Goins, 2B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF Josh Thole, C
Starting Pitcher -- Rick Porcello Starting Pitcher -- R.A. Dickey

Honestly, I needed to take a step back and breathe before I got to this bit. The Swihart move is intensely frustrating to me for a number of reasons. But that's not anything against Christian Vazquez. The injury that cost him his chance in 2015 was extraordinarily unfair (in the cosmic sense) and one of the worst parts of an altogether awful season. He's a good young catcher defensively, and might just surprise us with the bat. And if any pitcher is going to get something out of having him behind home plate, it's Rick Porcello.

So Christian Vazquez is here, no matter the circumstances that led to it, and should certainly not have to shoulder the burden of Swihart's absence anymore than if Swihart had been hurt. It's great to see him back up and getting another chance, and hopefully he'll show us something new with his bat. God knows it's been hot to start the year in Pawtucket.

First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. ET with broadcasts on NESN and WEEI.

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