Hours before defeating the New York Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles found a new home for a notable former Bronx Bomber.
No, the Orioles haven’t ditched struggling backup catcher Gary Sánchez just yet. Instead, Baltimore placed the veteran backup on the 10-day injured list ahead of Monday’s 4-3 victory over the Yankees, citing right wrist inflammation.
Maverick Handley joins the Orioles’ active roster and will back up Adley Rutschman. Handley hit .346 with a home run, five RBI, and a .991 OPS at Triple-A Norfolk.
Sánchez entered Monday owning a .100 average, a .200 on-base percentage, and a .100 slugging percentage across 35 plate appearances. For comparison, Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz’s .211 slugging percentage is the worst among qualified players.
This year marks the latest disappointing chapter in a career that derailed very quickly. Sánchez burst onto the scene in 2016, hitting 20 home runs in 53 games and finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. He smashed 33 homers the following season, helping the Yankees to their first ALCS berth in five years.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, injuries and poor defense turned Sánchez from an All-Star catcher to another “what could have been” club member. The Yankees benched Sánchez in 2020 and 2021 after passed balls, even starting backup Kyle Higashioka in the 2021 AL Wild Card Game.
Fans and pundits also frequently criticized Sánchez’s effort and baserunning. The Yankees traded Sánchez to the Minnesota Twins in 2022, acquiring shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and former AL MVP Josh Donaldson.
Sánchez spent the next three seasons hitting .212 with 46 home runs and a .702 OPS for four teams. He’s a full-time backup at this stage of his career, although he may not be in the majors much longer.
Baltimore also placed All-Star third baseman Jordan Westburg on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain. Emmanuel Rivera subsequently replaced Westburg on the active roster.
Related: Yankees Announce Pitching Update Before Orioles Series
Related: Concerns Mounting About Yankees’ All-Star Slugger Amid Strange Start
Hours before defeating the New York Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles found a new home for a notable former Bronx Bomber.
No, the Orioles haven’t ditched struggling backup catcher Gary Sánchez just yet. Instead, Baltimore placed the veteran backup on the 10-day injured list ahead of Monday’s 4-3 victory over the Yankees, citing right wrist inflammation.
Maverick Handley joins the Orioles’ active roster and will back up Adley Rutschman. Handley hit .346 with a home run, five RBI, and a .991 OPS at Triple-A Norfolk.
Sánchez entered Monday owning a .100 average, a .200 on-base percentage, and a .100 slugging percentage across 35 plate appearances. For comparison, Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz’s .211 slugging percentage is the worst among qualified players.
This year marks the latest disappointing chapter in a career that derailed very quickly. Sánchez burst onto the scene in 2016, hitting 20 home runs in 53 games and finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. He smashed 33 homers the following season, helping the Yankees to their first ALCS berth in five years.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, injuries and poor defense turned Sánchez from an All-Star catcher to another “what could have been” club member. The Yankees benched Sánchez in 2020 and 2021 after passed balls, even starting backup Kyle Higashioka in the 2021 AL Wild Card Game.
Fans and pundits also frequently criticized Sánchez’s effort and baserunning. The Yankees traded Sánchez to the Minnesota Twins in 2022, acquiring shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and former AL MVP Josh Donaldson.
Sánchez spent the next three seasons hitting .212 with 46 home runs and a .702 OPS for four teams. He’s a full-time backup at this stage of his career, although he may not be in the majors much longer.
Baltimore also placed All-Star third baseman Jordan Westburg on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain. Emmanuel Rivera subsequently replaced Westburg on the active roster.
Related: Yankees Announce Pitching Update Before Orioles Series
Related: Concerns Mounting About Yankees’ All-Star Slugger Amid Strange Start
