Cubs Rumors: 3 catchers who could replace Willson Contreras

Cubs Rumors: 3 catchers to replace Willson Contreras - #1: Christian Vazquez

Last, but certainly not least, we come to Christian Vazquez, who was traded by the Red Sox to the Astros at the trade deadline and struggled with that transition initially, only to win a World Series ring with Houston - the second of his big league career.

Vazquez was reportedly less than thrilled about not being the go-to guy behind the plate, but veteran Martin Maldonado is beloved by the pitching staff and the organization, as a whole. Now on the open market, the 32-year-old Vazquez is seeking a starting role - and he could be a perfect fit for a Cubs team with a young pitching staff on the rise.

Chicago would face stiff competition for his services - as many of the same teams interested in exploring a trade for Murphy also have interest in Vazquez. That makes sense because, like I said, there are going to be teams (like the Cubs) who have other needs to address via trade and may be more comfortable simply paying in free agency rather than losing prospects in a deal for a catcher.

A Vazquez-Gomes combination might not be the sexiest catching tandem in the league and it may lack the 'wow' factor Contreras brought to the North Side, but make no mistake: it's also a quality pair of veterans more than capable of guiding this staff moving forward.