Oh boy, Gary Sánchez is on the move again. This time, he’s heading to the Milwaukee Brewers. So says Jon Heyman from the New York Post, and he’s usually on the money with these things. You can check out his tweet
. The deal? A cool $7 million, plus an option. Not too shabby, right?
Now, Sánchez joining the Brewers is kind of a big deal. He’s not the only one making the leap to Milwaukee, either. Rhys Hoskins, that powerhouse first baseman from the Phillies, made the jump not too long ago. But let’s not forget, the Brewers also said goodbye to Corbin Burnes. Yep, their roster’s seen better days.
Gary’s baseball journey? It’s been quite the ride. Started with the Yankees, where he spent a good seven years. Post-Yankees life has been… interesting. He did a stint with the Twins in 2022, then hopped over to the Giants’ Triple-A team in 2023. But, get this, by May 2, he hadn’t gotten the call to the majors. So, what does he do? Ops out and signs with the Mets. But, plot twist, after just three games, he’s out and next thing you know, he’s with the Padres.
And, well, San Diego was quite the scene for him. In 72 games, he managed to hit .218/.292/.500. Not the best average or OBP, but man, did he show off his power. Nineteen homers! Plus, he had a 116 OPS+ and even with those strikeouts, he racked up 2.5 WAR in less than half a season. Not too shabby for a guy who’s been around the block.
CBS Sports had him pegged as the 30th best free agent out there. We were all, “Hey, this guy’s been through the wringer, but look at him now.” Nineteen homers in 72 games? That’s no joke. Plus, he’s hitting more of those pitches in the zone than ever before. And, sure, he might not be the best at blocking balls in the dirt, but overall, his defense? Pretty solid.
So, what’s next for Sánchez? Looks like he’ll be sharing time behind the plate with William Contreras. And, yeah, he’ll probably get some at-bats as DH too.
It’s clear, Sánchez isn’t the young star we all thought he’d be during his early days with the Yankees. But, hey, that stint in San Diego? It did wonders for his value. And now, heading into his age-31 season, he’s proving he’s still got plenty in the tank.
