This season hasn’t gone according to plan for Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, leading Joel Sherman of the New York Post to wonder if the club could target Miami’s J.T. Realmuto or another starting-caliber backstop during the winter. It doesn’t seem that’s going to happen, though, as Yankees general manager Brian Cashman suggested to Sherman that he hasn’t lost any confidence in Sanchez. “If you are asking if [Sanchez] is a championship-caliber catcher moving forward, the answer is yes,” Cashman said. “Despite circumstances that have played out this year, we will stay with it and hopefully be rewarded for it.” After his bat helped propel him to elite catcher status from 2016-17, Sanchez has slashed an underwhelming .184/.280/.404 in 304 plate appearances this season. On the other side, the 25-year-old has drawn plenty of criticism for defensive miscues, including for his work in Oakland this past Wednesday. Still, it’s easy to see why Cashman remains bullish on Sanchez. With a .189 batting average on balls in play and a massive gap between his real wOBA (.298) and expected wOBA (.366), Sanchez has been one of the game’s unluckiest hitters in 2018, and he has still managed 15 home runs and a .221 ISO. Defensively, Sanchez’s issues may be a tad overblown, evidenced in part by the above-average marks he has earned from StatCorner.
More from the East Coast…
- Red Sox reliever Matt Barnes is out indefinitely with left hip inflammation, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. With Boston all but locked into the top seed in the American League, Barnes’ loss isn’t much of a blow now. But it could be if the injury continues to linger into the playoffs, as Barnes leads Red Sox relievers in holds (25) and strikeouts per nine (14.19). He has also thrown the second-most innings (58 1/3) of anyone in Boston’s bullpen and logged an impressive 3.39 ERA/2.71 FIP.
- With righty Trevor Williams on a roll for the Pirates, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald revisits the 2015 trade in which the Marlins sent the hurler to Pittsburgh for fellow righty Richard Mitchell and the right to hire pitching guru Jim Benedict from the Bucs. Williams ranked among the Marlins’ top prospects at the time, making the deal look good for Pittsburgh. It looks even better now, given that the 26-year-old Williams has allowed a combined four earned runs over his past nine starts – a 54 2/3-inning span – to improve his ERA/FIP to 3.15/4.16 across 148 2/3 frames this season. Considering Williams’ current performance and his affordable team control through 2022, not to mention what the Marlins got in the trade, losing him looks rather regrettable for the Fish. Former Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria expected Benedict to fix the Marlins’ pitching staff, per Spencer. It didn’t happen, however, and Benedict’s now with the Cubs. Mitchell, meanwhile, was a non-prospect who never threw a pitch with the Miami organization and hasn’t played professionally since the end of his Pirates tenure.
- Phillies outfielder Roman Quinn broke one of the toes on his right foot, but it’s an injury he can play through, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia was among those to report. Quinn suffered the injury on a hit by pitch on Wednesday and hasn’t played since, though manager Gabe Kapler said the Phillies “have every assurance that this injury is a tolerance issue and when he’s ready to play, he’s good to go.” Nevertheless, as Salisbury details, it adds to a laundry list of injuries for the 25-year-old Quinn – who has still recorded good numbers since debuting last season. Over 153 major league PAs, including 84 this year, Quinn has hit .307/.371/.455 (121 wRC+) with 12 stolen bases.
- The Orioles plan to re-sign pending free-agent catcher Martin Cervenka, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Cervenka joined the Orioles via the Giants in the minor league phase of last year’s Rule 5 draft, and has since amassed “lots of supporters” within the O’s organization, Kubatko writes. The 26-year-old may even debut in the majors’ next season, as Kubatko adds that Cervenka could have a shot to emerge as the Orioles’ backup catcher in 2019. In doing so, he’d become the first native of the Czech Republic to ever play in the majors. The highest level Cervenka has reached to this point is Double-A, where he put up a .258/.317/.457 line with 15 home runs in 375 PAs this season.
Losing Benedict was a blessing and a curse. I truly believe it was the combined work of Benedict and Searage that worked to helped resurrect careers. Searage hasn’t quite been the same since Benedict departed.
The biggest help to Pirates pitchers is PNC Park. That park is almost as helpful to pitchers as Coors Field is to hitters.
Sanchez’s main problem behind the dish is he can’t catch the ball. He’s does everything else average to above average back there.
I dunno – I feel like saying he does “everything else” well but catch (so it’s over-shadowed) is like being ok a NASCAR driver does everything well except drive.
Amen. Painful to watch Not sure what the statcorner stuff takes into account, but he has to be among the leagues worst in framing, in addition to simply not catching the ball with alarming frequency.
Needs to go back to school in the off season. If he’s willing to listen and put the work in, he still has “Johnny Bench” like potential, given his powerful bat and arm. If they decide to trade him in the off season, there will be countless suitors although the Yankees would be selling low as everyone will be demanding a discount compared to pre 2018 value.
I’d rather just play romine there and dh Gary. He is such a liability behind the plate.
Romine has a below average bat so putting Sanchez at DH takes a better bat than Romine’s out of the lineup. I don’t see the Yankees doing that especially with Judge out of the lineup.
Conner, you one of my favorite writers, but pls stop citing Joel Sherman when he writes anything about the Yankees.
His only job is to be a hitman when writing about this team.
I don’t even believe he’s a Mets’ fan. Is there a more negative writer, with regards to New York Yankees..? Joel Sherman is your man.
And ppl complain about Heyman? Give me Heyman, over Joel Sherman (Yankee hater) all day, everyday.
Of course you love Heyman, he is the biggest Yankee homer out there.
Heyman or Sherman isn’t much of a choice. I will say this for Sherman, he doesn’t get his marching orders from Boras like Heyman does.
Being a Boras mouthpiece changes nothing. It’s the attitude, tone, and style with regards to my favorite team, and nobody writes ‘em with more drama (depressing) about the Yankees, than Joel Sherman.
Homer NYY writer is the lesser of two evils, than a writer with a personal vendetta.
While I can appreciate that… Sherman is good for laughs. Not that I like him but his trade proposals are hilarious. Heyman, I just have no respect for as a journalist regarding the whole Scott Boras thing.
Absolutely correct…Sherman has never been objective about the Yankees…as if he has a vendetta over the team. Just a bum.
14 of Sanchez homers were before he first go hurt….still couldn’t hit water for falling out of a boat.
Terrible defensively, with problems calling a game, blocking balls, receiving balls and communicating a game plan with his pitchers. Isn’t that the essence of what a catcher is supposed to do?
Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be using StatCorner anytime soon. I appreciate advanced metrics but he’s blatantly atrocious. Worst receiver in the game, and among the worst blockers. Throwing out the occasional baserunner doesn’t make up for all his issues
Sanchez is the Wily Mo Peña of catchers.
The perfect comparison!
Yankees get: Realmuto, Barraclough, Conley,—-Marlins get Sanchez, Montgomery, Holder.
That doesn’t really make sense for the Marlins. They’d probably be in a worse spot than they are now
Add sheffield and florial at least unless the yanks take on prado and castro’s remaining contracts. Realmuto alone aint coming cheap let alone with adding barraclaugh and conley
Any trade for Realmuto starts with Andujar assuming the Yankees first sign Machado.
Not necessarily. Realmuto has only 2 seasons of control left. Including Sanchez gives the marlins a catcher who could easily end up being a top 5 catcher in all of baseball. He needs to work on things and he’s been a bit unlucky at the plate but the upside is there. Along w a good amount of control. You trade Sanchez, Florial, and some pitching prospects not named Sheffield and you might be able to make that happen. If they take Prado’s money it becomes even easier. The marlins would be the perfect team to get Greg bird too. He obviously doesn’t have much value at this point but he could be afforded the time to work things out in Miami. Add in some of the Yankees pitching prospect + Sanchez and florial and that’s a pretty decent package.
Lol no
baseball,
Yes, Amen, from your mouth to God’s ears, or Jeter’s!!!
If any of you are Yankee fans that are bashing Sanchez believe me you can pass him the Braves way.
Living in NY I see a lot of Sanchez and it’s obvious to me he was never healthy all year and has been getting worse all year trying to tough thru it. He also def misses Girardi as well he kept him in line.
The Yankees lack leadership that is the biggest problem.
Even when healthy, Sanchez stunk at C. He’s a 1B playing C. Yankees or whoever else just needs to switch him then boom you have a 50 homer 1B. Nothing wrong with that.
Agreed.
Agree with this as well and felt this way since getting to watch him a lot in the playoffs last year. He just doesn’t look like a catcher back there either…he looks uncomfortable or something, can’t quite tell what it is. I think they move him to 1B and they end up really happy with him.
Andujar and Sanchez for Realmuto, then sign Machado = Yankees unstoppable.
Andujar would only be included for a pitcher, and even then, I wouldnt want to trade him unless it’s for stud SP
Stud SP guys don’t grow on trees.. So they keep Andujar
They’re not trading Andujar for anybody. They have plenty of prospects to make a competitive bid, if there’s a worthwhile starting pitcher (MadBum) on the market. They don’t need to weaken the major league team.
Also, they have more money to spend than anybody else. So, if they want them, they can get Madbum, Corbin and Kikuchi, without giving up anyone off the major league roster.
Disagree on the above. There will be plenty of competition for Realmuto and after the talent Jeter back got for Stanton (never mind the salary relief), he’ll have to hit a home run in another trade with NY. I believe the Yankees will first decide on Machado and if they sign him, many will bid up the value of Andujar and see if the return is best on Realmuto or towards a top starter. Is Andujar though the real deal? If he is, why go after Machado? All that $$ for defense? Is Machado money better utilized by going after starting pitching (free agents or trades and extension signing)? Look at Devers’ value right now. Devers is only 21 and has great upside. That said 2018 has been a disappointment. Andujar reminds me of Sanchez last year but everyone has to remember he’s just a rookie.
The Yankees farm has been very depleted with all these trades. To get a TOR arm they would need to dangle someone from the big league club along with prospects. The money aspect just ain’t what it used to be.
Agreed which is why I say if it happens it starts with Andujar assuming they first get Machado.
Sanchez couldn’t hold Realmuto’s jock strap. Don’t be so biased man
cereal….. I agree.
TOR arm for NY equals Sheffield and Florial for starters if its all prospects. Miggy or Torres if youth from the major league team is involved.
Rare players take a huge return and TOR starters are about the rarest of breeds right now.
LTDH..You never answered my music question.
Sanchez is better than Realmuto.
Sanchez wRC+ since 2016: 125. Realmuto: 116.
Sanchez fWAR in 247 games, since 2016: 8.4. Realmuto, in 388 games: 12.2
Sanchez also has 20 more homers, even though he played 141 fewer games.
Oh please. Gary Sanchez has far more in common with Wilin Rosario, another offensive catcher that was horrible defensively, than JT Realmuto. You’ll notice that Rosario hasn’t played in the majors for several years as well.
Lol
All your argument does is make those stats horrible to go off of. Sanchez is not better than Realmuto
Oh by the way, on top of being the better player, Sanchez is also younger, makes a lot less money, and has more team control than Realmuto.
The game is played on the field, not via stats. Seeing is believing and the question is not past performance but going forward and unless you believe Sanchez will suddenly learn how to catch the ball, comps to another catcher don’t seem reasonable.
Dewey, everyone knows he’s not a better catcher than Realmuto.
The thing is I didn’t realize how good Realmuto is until recently. I rarely watch the Marlins and refuse to look at sabermetric stats without the eye test. Recently seeing him has me appreciating his on field talents.
The problems the Yankees have going forward is, First, Catcher, and starting pitching. Catcher..Sanchez is not a adequate catcher, and Romine is just a fine backup. They have received the worst production in the league at first over the past three seasons. The starters..well it’s pretty evident they need a solid number two.
Perhaps they could indeed use Andujar, Bird, and Sanchez to acquire a couple of those needs. Though Bird has practically no value, Sanchez would have to go to an AL team to be used as a DH, and most teams are covered at third base…
Bird and Frazier have more value to the Yankees who at least have to hope health is there in the Spring where they show their abilities again. I’m still wondering if Bird has played injured the whole year but given his history, doesn’t want to open up.
I feel Bird just might be Nick Johnson 2.0, and Frazier’s value peaked last winter…
Sad because as a Sox fan, I want the Yankees to succeed as it makes winning even sweeter. Nick Johnson and Clint Frazier seems the better comparison although I understand the positions. Bird’s stroke reminds me of Nettles in that it’s a perfect old time pull swing for any stadium named Yankee.
You’re really going to die on the hill that Sanchez is better than Realmuto? You’re really saying Sanchez is the best catcher in the league? Wow
justin,
is it true that the Yankees want to sign both Machado and Harper??
Don’t our Yankees need
some great pitching for once?? Are they nuts?
The Post are trolls. You should stop acknowledging them.
Totally agree that you have been trolling Stansfield123. I for one have responded for the last time.
right-on dewey…
Sanchez should be playing 1B and be a backup catcher. Though that would leave an interesting question as to who will play catcher.
Yankees could go after free agents Wilson Ramos and Yasmani Grandal. Both have 2-3 WAR and are 31 and 30 respectively.
Quinn has been damn mess for years
Amen… A terrible tease. But as long as he can run, he’ll be employed by a team.
I’m so done with Sanchez. I hope yanks sign Grandal. The guy is a strike stealing machine
Matt,
They can let the Byrd out of the cage also, he is not the great hitter they thought him to be.
I hope Voit really sticks around. What a treat he is!!
The Yankees have had Gary Sanchez sine he was 16 years old, virtually, 9 years and nobody has been able help him improve defensively. Cashman still thinks that he will get better.
Cashman needs to face reality. Sanchez is a brutal catcher.
Mayan,
Agreed…
When Cashman is wrong about something, even with Sonny Gray, Oy Veh, he just
waits and waits and waits until we lose so many games.
It is sickening, he never faces reality!!
It is things like defending Sanchez with some computer generated gobbledy=gook that makes reasonable people question just what validity all the metrics have in general. No one needed Moneyball to know that getting on base was a valuable trait to possess. For crying out loud, throughout my playing time I was always told ‘Walks as good as a hit” which is not quite true but doesn’t need a computer genius to fill in the cracks. I have watched baseball for a long,long time and I have never seen a catcher who was worse at the simple, but rather important, act of actually catching a pitch..