The Baltimore Orioles have signed two-time American League All-Star catcher Gary Sanchez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The contract which was reported by Matthew Postins of Sports Illustrated and John Heyman of The New York Post on Sunday, is for one year and $8.5 million. What is stunning about the contract is the fact that Sanchez will be making $8.5 million as a backup catcher with the Orioles, and play behind two-time All-Star and 2023 American League Silver Slugger award winner Adley Rutschman of Portland, Oregon.
Sanchez is the second player from Santo Domingo to switch teams on Sunday. The other was Willy Adames, who joined the San Francisco Giants. Like Adames, Sanchez played last season with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Sixth Major League Baseball team
Sanchez is joining his sixth Major League Baseball team in the state of Maryland. He has previously played seven seasons with the New York Yankees from 2015 to 2021, one season with the Minnesota Twins in 2022, one season with the New York Mets and San Diego Padres in 2023, and one season with the Brewers in 2024. While with the Yankees, he was a runner up to Detroit Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for the 2016 American League Rookie of the Year Award, and in 2017 and 2019 was an American League All-Star.
2024 MLB Statistics
This past season, Sanchez batted .220 with 11 home runs and 37 runs batted in. During 89 games, 245 at bats and 280 plate appearances, he scored 30 runs and had 54 hits, seven doubles, one triple, 27 walks, 96 total bases, three sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .307 and a slugging percentage of .392. Sanchez’s triple came on August 23 in an 11-3 win over the Oakland Athletics.
Two-time All-Star
Sanchez batted .278 with 33 home runs and 90 runs batted in during 2017. He then batted .232 with 34 home runs and 77 runs batted in during 2019. In 2017, Sanchez set career-highs in runs scored (79), hits (131) and total bases (250).
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