Former All-Star catcher Gary Sanchez is back in the major leagues, this time with the New York Mets.
Sanchez’s contract was optioned by the Mets on Friday from Triple-A Syracuse, where he hit .308 with one home run, five RBIs, nine walks and 10 strikeouts in eight games. His deal calls for a salary of $1.5 million while in the major leagues.
Unsigned in the offseason, Sanchez, 30, agreed to a minor league contract with San Francisco on April 1, a deal that called for a $4 million salary if he made the 40-man roster men Sanchez hit .164 (9-for-55) with no homers, eight RBIs, one double, 11 walks and 19 strikeouts in 55 at-bats at Triple-A Sacramento. He had a May 1 opt-out, was released the next day, and signed a minor league contract with the Mets on May 9.
Omar Narváez, signed as a free agent by the Mets to a two-year, $15 million contract, has not played since April 5 because of a strained left calf.
Tomás Nido and rookie Francisco Álvarez have combined to hit .165 with four homers and 10 RBI. Nido hit .118 (6-for-51) with one RBI, but hasn’t played since May 5 because of dry eye syndrome. Alvarez is hitting .218 (17-for-78) with four homers and nine RBI.
Nido began a minor league injury rehab assignment Friday at Class A St. Lucie. Michael Perez, who went 4-for-7 in a pair of games, was optioned to Syracuse.
Sanchez played in the All-Star Game in 2017 and ’19 during seven years with the Yankees. He hit .299 with 20 homers in 2016 and .278 with 33 homers and 90 RBI in 2017.
He batted .186 in 2018 and just .147 in 49 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He improved in 2021 to .204 with 23 homers and 54 RBI.
New York traded Sanchez to Minnesota in March 2022 with Gio Urshela for Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt. Sanchez hit .205 with 16 homers and 61 RBI in 128 games for Minnesota last year while making 80 starts at catcher.
The Mets opened a spot on their 40-man roster by returning outfielder Tim Locastro from his rehab assignment and transferring him to the 60-day disabled list because of a sprained right thumb.
Report from The Associated Press.
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