The Padres have claimed catcher Hector Sanchez off waivers from the White Sox, per the MLB.com transactions page. Because he’s out of options, Sanchez will be added to the Major League roster. Left-hander Robbie Erlin was moved to the 60-day disabled list to create room on the 40-man roster.
Sanchez, a 26-year-old switch-hitter, has spent the bulk of his career in the NL West, appearing with the Giants in each of the past five seasons, primarily as a backup to Buster Posey. He picked up eight plate appearances with the White Sox this season, collecting one hit in seven official at-bats, and is a career .238/.273/.348 hitter in 645 plate appearances at the Major League level. He’s also halted 26 percent of opposing stolen base attempts and, dating back to the 2013 season, Baseball Prospectus feels that he’s been slightly above-average in terms of pitch framing.
While Erlin’s transfer to the 60-day DL explains the 40-man portion of the puzzle, it’s not immediately clear how Sanchez fits onto the 25-man roster for the Padres, who have used Derek Norris and Christian Bethancourt behind the plate thus far in the 2016 season. Neither has hit much this season, with Norris in particular struggling to a dismal .167/.213/.275 batting line through his first 108 plate appearances. Bethancourt, meanwhile, has slashed .222/.241/.519 in just 29 plate appearances, but he’s out of minor league options as well, so the Padres wouldn’t be able to send him down without first exposing him to waivers. Norris, it’s worth noting, does have minor league options remaining, but he’s also earning $2.925MM in 2016 after his first trip through the arbitration process this past winter.
Don’t get this pickup unless there is an injury somewhere. Would have to be Norris since Betancourt playing as I type thisa
Wait… what?
Hector Sanchez caught Tim Lincecum in San Francisco, might be more to this.
Trying to lure Lincecum?
Potential trade coming in maybe Norris gets traded? Doubt were getting rid of bethancourt
That was my first thought, wasn’t there Norris trade talks floating around with a couple of teams a little while ago?
When is a blash getting sent back to Seattle
I mean when does
He’s not. Padres arent competing this year. So carrying him for the season just to send him down next year to get playing time isnt as farfetched of an idea. Although i wish they’d send jankowski down to get more at bats. If jay winds up leaving he’ll need the extra time for next year. And if they trade upton they can call him back up.
At what point does the thought of trading off our major contributors for prospects stop? I think John Jay is a great addition to this team and should be a piece that we build around. Janikowski is good but I would not put him at Jay’s level at this point in his career. To trade Jay just to see if Janikowski lives up to his potential would be a mistake. Keep Janikowski until kemps contract is up and move him into right field permanently. I like the potential of having Alex Dickerson (and his bat) in left field after Mupton is gone too. We have the pieces for the near future. Why trade the veteran leadership?
We still need a solid hitting second baseman and shortstop. I’d like to see Pirela play consistently for a while just to gauge his value. Guerra is a small guy who may not give us the power numbers we need from the position.
You don’t get it do you? Jon Jay is a FREE AGENT at the end of this season! Meaning we’re going to lose him regardless of whether or not we trade him. Would you rather get a prospect for him or just let him walk for nothing in return?
Holding Blash all season then sending him down next year, at age 28, to AAA makes no sense. What, the Pares think he’s going to be a productive major leaguer starting his career at age-30?
Kemp’s contract isn’t up for three more years, and Jay just isn’t very good.
Blash is a Jack Z. draftee whom he and DiPoto exposed to the Rule 5 Draft in consecutive years, after two pretty good AAA seasons. Though I get their strategy, it would be better for SD and for Blash if Preller could convince SEA to take a fringe prospect for the right to keep and option him.
Would hate to see a lost season on the bench totally derail Blash’s career.
Blash is a 26-year-old one-dimensional player with 300 ABs at Triple=A. His career’s not really on any tracks from which he can derail..
Why would we send him back? Doing that wouldn’t get us into the postseason and he’ll be a nice guy to have on the shuttle squad after this season.
Can someone tell me why he hasn’t
Because this team isn’t contending and he’ll be a nice guy to have on our shuttle squad or maybe use as trade bait after this season is over.
Both Blash and Rosales need to start swinging like they mean it. It’s sad to watch their at bats.
Rosales cant hit. We need Solarte back
John Doe, are you in favor of keeping Wallace at 3B at least for some early inning ABs after Solarte gets back, or is he too much of a defensive liability notwithstanding some of his recent diving stops and throws?
Regarding the catchers, have you seen enough of either to say whether Norris or Sanchez could play a passable LF once or twice a week to justify three catchers on the roster while Jankowski goes to El Paso for regular ABs?
Not sure what AJ is thinking here but the OF is more than covered at the big league level and on the farm. Upton, Jay , Kemp seems pretty stable until late June or early July. Jankowski and Dickerson are the ones up now and only get spot starts or late innings def. replacements. TJ got defense and speed but the bat. Dickerson has the bat and don’t really know if his trouble in LF was just a blip.
Renfroe and or Margot could factor in as well by the trade deadline. Regardless, Sanchez in the outfield seems unlikely.
Catchers in the outfield? Dunno bout that!