Brewers take a chance with catcher Gary Sanchez for a second stint

Gary Sanchez (Arturo Pardavila III, Wikimedia Commons)

The Milwaukee Brewers have signed catcher Gary Sanchez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic over the the past week according to the Associated Press. The terms of the deal are one year and worth $1.75 million. Sanchez is expected to backup two-time All-Star William Contreras of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.

This is Sanchez’s second time with the Brewers. He was previously with them in 2024. Sanchez also spent seven seasons with the New York Yankees from 2015 to 2021, one season with the Minnesota Twins in 2022, shared the 2023 season with the New York Mets and San Diego Padres and played the 2025 season with the Baltimore Orioles. With the Yankees, Sanchez was an American League All-Star in 2017 and 2019.

In 2025 with Baltimore, Sanchez batted .231 with five home runs and 24 runs batters in. During 29 games, 101 plate appearances, and 91 at bats, he scored 13 runs and had 21 hits, two doubles, four walks, 38 total bases, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .297 and a slugging percentage of .418.

Sanchez’s sacrifice fly came in a 9-5 Orioles win over the Toronto Blue Jays on March 29. Then in a 22-8 Orioles win over the Tampa Bay Rays on June 27, Sanchez tied a career-high with most hits in a game with four. He had two singles, one double and one home run. This was the third time in Sanchez’s Major League Baseball career he had four hits in a game. Sanchez had three singles and one home run in a 9-4 Yankees win over the Boston Red Sox on August 10, 2016, and one single, one double and two home runs in an 8-3 Yankees win over the Kansas City Royals on May 19, 2018.

Sanchez is one of two All-Star catchers to switch teams this month who will play in a backup role this season. Jonah Heim went from the Texas Rangers to the Atlanta Braves.