MLB Rumors: San Francisco Giants Linked to Free Agent Slugger

January 11, 2023


This offseason hasn't gone quite as planned for the San Francisco Giants. They were hoping to spend some big cash on some big free agents. It just didn't go down that way, as they were spurned by Aaron Judge and Carlos Rodon, and backed out on Carlos Correa. 

Now they could be pivoting to another former two-time All-Star who's still out on the market. 

According to MLB Insider Hector Gomez, the Giants have an interest in catcher Gary Sanchez. 

Far from his All-Star years with the New York Yankees, Sanchez spent 2022 with the Minnesota Twins, where he struggled to stay over the Mendoza Line for the third straight season, hitting .205 with 16 home runs and a .659 OPS. 

After hitting 53 HR in his first 175 major league games across 2016 and 2017, and hitting .299 and .278, then another 34 dingers in an All-Star 2019 campaign, Sanchez has fallen on hard times at the plate. He now sports a nine-year lifetime average of .225, with a .778 OPS. His OPS+ hasn't been above league average since 2019.

The Giants were hoping that top prospect Joey Bart would take over behind the plate after the retirement of legend Buster Posey. But Bart struggled mightily in his first full season last year, batting .215 with 11 HR and a .660 OPS. He struck out 112 times in just 97 games. In essence, a younger version of the current Gary Sanchez. 

Other free agent catchers still available include Jorge Alfaro, Roberto Perez and Kevin Plawecki. 

Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports



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