The Brewers are strengthening their depth at the catcher position with the addition of experienced veteran Gary Sanchez, closing on a one-year, $7 million deal, according to a tip to MLB sources. MLB on Wednesday night.
Elsewhere, the Pirates made a notable addition to their roster by reaching a one-year deal with hard-hitting catcher Yasmani Grandal, a deal disclosed by the team on Wednesday.
Simultaneously, they also secured left-hander Josh Fleming, solidifying their lineup for the upcoming season.
Sanchez Headed to Milwaukee
While awaiting official confirmation from the team, sources indicate that the Brewers' deal with Gary Sanchez includes a mutual option. The addition of Sanchez, a skilled catcher, complements the already impressive William Contreras, a Silver Slugger award winner, creating a powerful duo behind the plate with the flexibility for either to assume the designated hitter role.
The Brewers, looking for options at the designated hitter position due to several players at that position becoming free agents, have Jake Bauers as their primary designated hitter, but there could be a possible trade with Sanchez on the horizon.
Rhys Hoskins, a recent addition, is expected to play first base regularly.
Sanchez's resurgence in 2023 follows a challenging start with the San Francisco Giants, which included a brief stint in Triple-A, and a subsequent brief tenure with the New York Mets, before being designated for assignment after three games.
Gary Sanchez, acquired by the San Diego Padres via waivers on May 29, experienced a renaissance on that team, showing consistency and delivering outstanding performances.
In 72 games, he demonstrated his offensive prowess with 19 home runs and a .792 OPS, marking a significant improvement.
Unfortunately, a fractured right wrist in early September cut short his impressive 2023 season. Sanchez, a former two-time All-Star with the New York Yankees, boasted a 26 home run average and .847 OPS from 2016-2019 as a senior catcher.
However, a decline in offensive production and defensive challenges led to a trade to the Minnesota Twins in March 2022. His time in Minnesota included moderate success, contributing 16 home runs, a .659 OPS and 1.3 fWAR in a single season.
Sanchez subsequently transited from San Francisco to New York and finally to San Diego last summer.
The teenage phenom has arrived 👀 @Bryanchourio11 pic.twitter.com/C5MmgeeFR8
- Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) February 15, 2024
Pirates Continue to Add Talent
Yasmani Grandal, 35, established himself as one of baseball's elite catchers during the first decade of his career, which spanned from 2012 to 2021. During this period, he exhibited an impressive .807 OPS, connecting for 172 home runs while receiving accolades for his defensive prowess.
His 74 Defensive Runs Saved behind the plate placed him among the elite, second only to Buster Posey, Yadier Molina and Roberto Perez in MLB catcher rankings.
However, the last two seasons saw a noticeable decline in Grandal's performance, both offensively and defensively.
Between 2022 and 2023, he posted a .219/.305/.306 line with 13 home runs in 781 plate appearances. In addition, he suffered a -16 Defensive Runs Saved decline during this period, marking a departure from his previous outstanding defensive contributions.
Within the Pirates' catcher lineup, the absence of 23-year-old Endy Rodriguez due to Tommy John surgery for the entire 2024 season left the team with diminished receiving depth and relatively inexperienced players, including 28-year-old Jason Delay and 2021 first-round draft pick Henry Davis, 24.
Yasmani Grandal, despite facing recent challenges, has joined the team. The Pirates hope a change of scenery for Grandal will trigger a resurgence in his production, potentially improving the team's catching capabilities.
