Gary Sánchez has found a new home.
The veteran catcher has signed to a one-year, $7 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in free agency after spending time with the San Diego Padres, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
Sánchez spent most of the 2023 season with the Padres, who claimed him off waivers from the New York Mets in May.
The 31-year-old battled terribly against the Mets. In just three games and seven plate appearances, he batted.167 with one RBI.
Sánchez improved his season with the Padres, hitting.218/.292/.500 with 19 home runs and 46 RBIs in 72 games.
In December, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the Friars were in talks with Sánchez about a new contract. However, they didn’t really need to keep him after obtaining Kyle Higashioka in the trade that sent Juan Soto to the New York Yankees.
Higashioka, Luis Campusano, and Brett Sullivan are San Diego’s catchers heading into 2024.
The Brewers, meanwhile, enter the 2024 season expecting to rebuild after sending ace Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles last week.
Sánchez joins a Brewers catcher rotation led by William Contreras and included Eric Haase. He might be catching Freddy Peralta, Wade Miley, Joe Ross, or Colin Rea.
The Dominican native had some of his best seasons with the Yankees, earning two All-Star selections and a Silver Slugger award. His greatest season was in 2017, when he hit.278/.345/.531, with 33 home runs and 90 RBI in 122 games.
In addition to the Yankees, Mets, and Padres, Sánchez spent time with the Minnesota Twins during 2022.
