Ex-Yankees All-Star Slugger Available; Signing Makes Perfect Sense For Red Sox

Boston has a need at the catcher position

The Boston Red Sox could use another move or two if they want to compete in 2023. 

Boston has had a roller coaster of an offseason so far and there still is plenty of time before Spring Training kicks off. After finishing 78-84 in 2022 the Red Sox have had plenty of holes to fill this offseason and one the team still needs to address is the catcher position. 

With just Reese McGuire and prospect Connor Wong on the 40-man roster, a move could be good for Boston and one player still available in free agency is former New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins slugger Gary Sanchez. 

"Sanchez has never been regarded as one of the top defensive catchers, but did post his best framing numbers per Fangraphs’ metric since 2018, and gave up the fewest wild pitches of his career (excluding the shortened 2020 season and 2016, when he didn’t play a full year)," MLB Trade Rumors Simon Hampton said. "While a number of teams have filled their vacancy at catcher, the likes of the Red Sox, Tigers and Marlins could be among the teams interested."

The 30-year-old spent the first seven years of his career with the Yankees before joining the Twins ahead of the 2022 campaign. Sanchez has been known for power throughout his career and that is one thing the Red Sox certainly could use. 

Boston finished 2022 with the 20th most home runs as a team with just 155 and after losing Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez, could be in worse shape heading into 2023. Sanchez may not have the finest defensive pedigree, but he could provide a well-needed pop in the lineup. 

Boston has gotten double-digit home runs from a catcher in just one season over the five years. Sanchez has never hit fewer than than 10 home runs in a season and clubbed 16 in 2022. The two-time All-Star even has two seasons with over 30 home runs since 2017. 

Sanchez is projected to receive a contract with an annual value below $7 million -- which Boston certainly could afford. The Red Sox attempted to trade for former Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy and failed so the team may still be in the market for a new backstop. 

A move for the former Yankees slugger may not be the splashiest in the world, but it could pay off in a major way.

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