Inside The Pinstripes

Angels Among Several Teams Interested in Signing Gary Sánchez

Gary Sánchez hit .205 with 16 home runs in a Twins uniform in 2022, his first season away from the Yankees.

Max Goodman

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This time last year, Gary Sánchez was gearing up for his eighth season with the Yankees, a former top prospect looking to revitalize his career in pinstripes.

Now, Sánchez is a free agent, looking to sign a new deal with what will be his third MLB team.

MLB insider Héctor Gómez reported on Thursday that the Los Angeles Angels are "showing a lot of interest" in the former Yankees backstop. The Angels were also listed by MLB Network's Jon Morosi—along with the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals—as a team that is still in the market for a catcher.

Sánchez was traded from the Yankees to the Twins last spring, a five-player deal that sent shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Bronx. 

The backstop had his moments with Minnesota, but continued to struggle offensively, slashing .205/.282/.377 with 16 home runs and a career-high 136 strikeouts in 128 games played.

Sánchez will provide his next team with a high-upside power bat, a catcher that's been an All-Star two times in his eight-year career. There's a chance that Sánchez can excel in a No. 2 catcher role, mixing in some time at designated hitter during his age-30 season in 2023. 

The Red Sox profile as a solid fit for Sánchez as well, a team that has only two backstops (Connor Wong and Reese McGuire) on their 40-man roster. Boston traded away veteran catcher Christian Vázquez at last year's trade deadline. Vázquez ended up signing with the Twins this offseason, giving Minnesota a replacement for Sánchez.

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Yankees for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. Goodman has been on the Yankees beat for three seasons. He is also the publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Jets site, Jets Country. Before starting Inside The Pinstripes, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. At school, Goodman was an anchor and reporter with NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. While at Northwestern, Goodman interned with MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman. You can connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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