Red Sox lock up cannon-arm catcher

Cardinals, Marlins put key pitchers on the disabled list.

Catcher Christian Vazquez and the Boston Red Sox reached agreement on a new contract that takes him through the 2021 season.

The deal announced Saturday includes a team option for 2022. Media reports said Vazquez, who had been signed for 2018, was assured more than $13 million with the three extra guaranteed years.

The Red Sox have long regarded the 27-year-old as their catcher of the future. He has thrown out 42 percent (42 of 100) of would-be basestealers in 211 major league games — the best rate among catchers with at least 200 games in the last 30 years. Vazquez hit .290 with five home runs and 32 RBIs last season, starting 85 times at catcher.

D’backs: Left-hander Patrick Corbin was chosen to start on opening day Thursday when the Diamondbacks host Colorado. Corbin was 14-13 with a 4.03 ERA in 32 starts last season. The opportunity for Corbin arose from a groin injury to ace Zack Greinke, who is still working his way back to full strength. Giants: Left-hander Madison Bumgarner had surgery to have three pins inserted into the broken pinkie on his pitching hand. He is expected to miss four to six weeks. The 28-year-old was injured Friday when he was hit by a line drive.

Cardinals: Closer Luke Gregerson will begin the season on the disabled list with a hamstring strain, manager Mike Matheny said. There is no announced timetable for his return. The Cardinals signed Gregerson during the offseason to be their closer. He saved 31 games for Houston in 2015 and 15 more the following season.

Marlins: Pitcher Dan Straily will begin the season on the disabled list. Straily exited Monday’s minor league game early because of forearm tightness, and an MRI revealed inflammation.

Brewers: Milwaukee optioned Junior Guerra, its opening day starter a year ago, to Triple-A Colorado Springs. The 33-year-old righthander has a 3.15 ERA in 20 spring innings. Manager Craig Counsell said pitcher Yovani Gallardo also has been told he won’t make the team. Gallardo, 32, came up with Milwaukee in 2007 and spent eight years with the Brewers. He was 5-10 with a 5.72 ERA for Seattle last year.

Rangers: Texas cut pitcher Bartolo Colon, but the popular 44-year-old could rejoin them soon. The team faced a contract deadline to either add the right-hander to their 25-man roster, cut him or pay him $100,000 to stick around for now. Colon made five starts in spring training with a 3.00 ERA in 18 innings. The Rangers have the option of renegotiating a new deal with Colon, and have shown interest in keeping him.

■ Rangers minor-league coach and ex-big leaguer Howard Johnson was struck in the face by a line drive and taken from the dugout on a stretcher, then transported to a hospital. There was no report on his condition. Johnson was hit during a game between Texas and Cleveland in Surprise, Ariz. The 57-year-old is the hitting coach at Triple-A Round Rock.

Twins: Kennys Vargas is headed back to Minnesota. The Twins reclaimed Vargas off waivers from Cincinnati on Saturday, two days after the Reds plucked him from Minnesota. Minnesota recently cut Vargas, but then had a roster spot open up when shortstop Jorge Polanco was suspended 80 games for a drug violation.

Yankees: Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury will start the regular season on the DL because of an oblique injury.

KIRK IRWIN / GETTY IMAGES Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez’s skill throwing out basestealers has earned him a new contract that could keep him in Boston through 2022.