Padres claim two-time All-Star catcher Gary Sanchez off waivers from Mets
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The scuffling San Diego Padres claimed catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from the New York Mets on Monday evening.
The two-time All-Star was designated for task final Thursday after enjoying in three video games for the Mets. He went 1 for six with three strikeouts and an RBI, wanting shaky at occasions behind the plate.
With the disappointing Padres (24-29) getting meager offensive manufacturing at catcher, they hope Sánchez can present a lift. Austin Nola is batting .131 with three extra-base hits and a paltry .434 OPS in 39 video games. His part-time platoon companion, second-stringer Brett Sullivan, is hitting .170 with 4 extra-base hits and a .482 OPS in 21 video games since getting referred to as up from the minors April 16.
Luis Campusano has been on the injured record since April 17 and is anticipated to be sidelined till across the All-Star break following left thumb surgical procedure.
San Diego is answerable for simply over $1 million in wage for Sánchez after assuming his $1.5 million, one-year contract.
The star-studded Padres have misplaced seven of 11 and are 3-3 on a nine-game East Coast journey. They open a three-game collection Tuesday evening at Miami.
San Diego turns into the third National League workforce to take an in depth take a look at the 30-year-old Sánchez this season. He hung out within the minors with San Francisco earlier than getting launched May 2 and signing a minor league contract every week later with the Mets, who have been minus a few injured catchers on the time.
After hitting nicely in a brief stint at Triple-A Syracuse, he was promoted to the massive leagues May 19. When the Mets reinstated catcher Tomás Nido from the injured record final week, Sánchez was lower.
Sánchez’s greatest seasons got here early in his profession with the New York Yankees, the place he was runner-up in 2016 AL Rookie of the Year voting and made the AL All-Star workforce in 2017 and 2019. He hit 20 dwelling runs with a 1.032 OPS in 53 video games in 2016, had 33 homers and 90 RBIs with an .876 OPS in 2017, and 34 homers with 77 RBIs and an .841 OPS in 2019.
Since then, it’s been a precipitous decline.
Sánchez was traded to Minnesota earlier than the 2022 season and batted .205 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 128 video games final 12 months.
With the Padres, he is also a candidate for at-bats at designated hitter, the place 42-year-old Nelson Cruz is batting .245 with three homers, 16 RBIs and a .670 OPS, and 37-year-old Matt Carpenter is hitting .174 with 4 homers, 21 RBIs and a .652 OPS.
