Mets Outright Yolmer Sanchez

Veteran infielder Yolmer Sanchez went unclaimed on waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Syracuse by the Mets, tweets Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. New York designated Sanchez for assignment recently upon reinstating Eduardo Escobar from the injured list.

Sanchez, 30, appeared in three games with the Mets but didn’t receive a plate appearance, so he didn’t get the opportunity to improve even marginally upon a dismal .108/.214/.108 slash he posted in a tiny sample of 44 plate appearances with the Red Sox earlier in the year (4-for-37, seven walks, 13 strikeouts).

At his best, Sanchez was a Gold Glove-caliber defender at second base with just slightly below-average offense. From 2017-18, he slashed .253/.313/.390 as the White Sox’ primary second baseman. His already minimal power output dipped in 2019, but Sanchez also took home a Gold Glove that year, lessening the sting of his fairly punchless approach at the dish. Since that 2019 campaign, however, he’s logged just 65 big league plate appearances and mustered only a .170/.303/.282 output.

Sanchez will have the ability to reject the outright assignment in favor of free agency. (He’s previously been outrighted and also has more than three years of service — either of which would grant him that right on its own.) He’d have to be with a new club by midnight ET tonight if said new team wanted to be able to rely on him as a defensive-minded insurance option for the postseason roster. If he simply accepts the outright and sticks with the Mets, he’d give them a strong glove and some speed to fall back on, should the incur an injury (or multiple injuries) in the infield between now and the playoffs.