Yankees: 4 offseason decisions that show Brian Cashman knows what he’s doing
By Tim Boyle
2. The Yankees look very smart for trading Gary Sanchez
The Yankees may not be getting much out of their catchers on offense yet there’s no remorse for trading Gary Sanchez away. One of the pieces sent to the Twins in the deal for Kiner-Falefa, Sanchez has hit only .208/.263/.358 for Minnesota in his first 57 plate appearances. He has a single home run and has 21 strikeouts.
Sanchez’s time with the Twins has been split behind the plate and in the DH role. You don’t need to tell anyone in New York why he’s not catching more often. His tenure with the Yankees, even when he was hitting well, always included criticisms of his defense. Both from fans, coaches, and his own pitchers, it was one aspect of his game holding him back.
The change of scenery hasn’t worked out so well for Sanchez in the early going. Any thought that he just needed to exit New York can be pushed aside for now. There is no early momentum to suggest the Yankees will soon regret this deal.
While a hole still remains in the Yankees lineup from their catchers, others are making up for it.
The value of a gifted defender behind the plate can often be overlooked. Fortunately, we have one other point to mention in regards to why Cashman knows what he’s doing.