Catcher Ali Sánchez has cleared waivers and been assigned to Triple-A Worcester, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive. The Red Sox had designated him for assignment a couple of days ago when outfielder Wilyer Abreu was reinstated from the injured list.
Sánchez has been outrighted before in his career, which means he has the right to elect free agency. However, Cotillo says he is staying in the organization, which suggests he won’t exercise that right. Worcester’s season is over, so he doesn’t have to actually report to that club.
There’s some sense in that decision for Sánchez. At this late stage of the season, he wouldn’t have much appeal elsewhere. The Sox, however, acquired him just ahead of the September 1st postseason eligibility deadline. By staying in the system, he might be third on the club’s catching depth chart. Carlos Narváez and Connor Wong are the only two backstops on the 40-man roster. If one of those two suffers an injury in the next few weeks, Sánchez might get added back to the roster for the final days of the regular season or even for some postseason work.
The alternative choice doesn’t have much upside. He wouldn’t be postseason eligible with any other club. He’s not making a guaranteed salary, so there’s no financial component to the decision. If he’s not added back to the 40-man by season’s end, he could elect free agency at that point. The only real upside to electing free agency now would be getting a headstart on his offseason, so it’s understandable if he has decided to stay with the Sox and keep open the chance of playing some postseason games.
His major league track record is still fairly unimpressive. He has appeared in 50 games and stepped to the plate on just 133 occasions with a .183/.220/.233 line. But he’s considered a competent defender and his offense has been better in the minors. He made 943 plate appearances at the Triple-A level from 2022 through 2025 with a .272/.348/.418 line. That results in a 96 wRC+, indicating below average offense overall, though catchers usually come in about ten points below league-wide average.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
Ali Sánchez and the 40 man roster… no more.
If he was outrighted off the 40 man, would he still be eligible to be added back after the season?
In terms of postseason eligibility that is.
I think he can if he’s taking the place of someone moved to the IL?
As the article says, he is eligible for Boston should there be an injury.
The Orioles might be shopping A. Rutschman. He sure would look good in a Red Sox uniform splitting time with C. Narvaez. Although, I’m pretty sure the O’s wouldn’t trade him within the division?
Did he ever get in a game with the Sox? I thought he was already gone, did not realize he was still on the 40 man roster.
He played in 4 games, only 2 at-bats though.
Its so good to see Abreu back, Sanchez was perhaps not the flashiest signing but there in case the catching needed a little more rest.
Hopeful we can win tonight and reduce our magic number. So far, we have been on an incredible run this season and with Detroit and Houston fading before our eyes, i believe the AL is wide open.
I like our chances a lot should we make the postseason,