Former Yankees All-Star Now Officially A New York Met

The New York Mets catching situation has taken some wild twists and turns so far this season. And now we enter the next phase. Former two-time New York Yankees All-Star Gary Sanchez has arrived back in the Big Apple. This time in Queens. The New York Mets have officially called him up from the minors. 

Welcome back to New York, Gary Sánchez. 🗽 pic.twitter.com/JmM0Bh748B

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 19, 2023

Sanchez hit .308 with a .514 OPS, .500 slugging and 1.014 OPS in 37 plate appearances for Syracuse to earn his promotion. He had signed a minor league deal with the Mets earlier this month, and could have opted out of the contract today and become a free agent once again if he hadn't been called up. 

The 30-year-old got off to a fast start at Syracuse, going 6-for-13 with a homer, six walks and five strikeouts in his first four games. 

Those numbers are a far cry from his massive struggles earlier in the year while with the San Francisco Giants' Triple-A squad, where he hit just .164 with a .501 OPS. Those stats more closely mirrored his major league struggles in recent years; with the Minnesota Twins in 2022 he hit just .205 with a .659 OPS and an OPS+ of 88. His previous two seasons in the Bronx, he hit .204 and .147.

What this move will mean for the Mets' young catching phenom and top prospect  Francisco Alvarez, it's hard to say at this point. The rookie has had his ups and downs since his recall, but mostly downs as he's batting .218 with a .697 OPS, though with four homers in 78 at-bats. 

“It’s a constant juggling act,’’ manager Buck Showalter said about Alvarez. “He’s already caught more than some people thought he might have.”

Now Showalter will be adding Sanchez to the juggling routine. 

Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports