The Milwaukee Brewers are signing free agent catcher Gary Sánchez, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Sánchez will earn $7 million on a one-year deal plus a mutual option. He experienced a small career resurgence with the San Diego Padres, hitting .217/.288/.500 with 19 home runs and 47 RBI. Sanchez started the 2023 season with the San Francisco Giants on a minor league contract. The Giants released Sánchez in early May until the New York Mets scooped him up a week later. Unfortunately, his time in Queens was short-lived as Sánchez was claimed off of waivers by the San Diego Padres, where he would spend the remainder of the season.
Gary Sanchez with Brewers: $7M. 1 year plus option.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 7, 2024
Brewers Land Gary Sánchez
Sánchez had a difficult time getting a job last year but finally caught on with the Padres. It was the opportunity he needed that saw him with a 115 wRC+, meaning he was 15% better than the league-average hitter. With Sánchez, the power is always there, but his defense is more questionable. He posted a +7 mark in Defensive Runs Saved, giving him a positive grade courtesy of his throwing arm. Blocking is his weakness, but his blocking grades have improved over the past few seasons.
Sánchez’s Major League Career
In 2016, with the Yankees, Sanchez finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. Additionally, Sánchez made multiple All-Star appearances with the Yankees in 2017 and 2019. That 2017 season saw Sánchez win a Silver Slugger as well. In 2022, Sánchez was traded to the Minnesota Twins along with Gio Urshela in a deal that saw Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, as well as Ben Rortvedt, go to the Yankees in return. In the majors, Sánchez has primarily been a catcher and a designated hitter but has also played three games at first base. The 2023 season saw Sánchez catch in 66 out of the 73 games he played in.
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