Former Yankee catcher Gary Sanchez has been hearing crickets for much of free agency. But that tide could be beginning to turn.
ESPN insider Héctor Gómez reported that the Los Angeles Angels are showing “a lot of interest” in the former Yankees catcher. The fit would seem a bit curious, as the Angels already have Max Stassi as a full-time catching option, with top prospect Logan O’Hoppe (Ranked no. 64 by MLB.com) lurking and waiting for his shot at the major leagues.
This report comes just a month after Sanchez’s agent, Francisco Marquez, blamed the Yankees for “emotional baggage” that had plagued him during his time in New York. He concluded by saying whichever team signed him would be getting “the rebirth of the Kraken.”
Thus far, he hasn’t garnered much interest on the free agent market. He did rank 23rd among catchers with a 1.3 WAR in 129 games played in 2022 with the Twins, after the Yankees sent him to Minnesota as part of the Josh Donaldson trade.
He could theoretically profile as an upgrade at catcher for the Angels, but with Stassi in the second year of a three-year, $17.5 million deal, it would seem likely that he retains the starting catcher role.
Sanchez hit 20 home runs in 53 games with a 1.032 OPS in 2016, but has yet to recapture that glory from his explosive debut in the big leagues.
He posted career lows in OPS (.669) and batting average (.205) last season.