This Wednesday (Dec. 2) is an important date on the offseason calendar for the New York Yankees and the other 30 MLB teams. It is the deadline for teams to tender their pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players a contract offer for next season. They don’t have to sign their players before the deadline, but they do have to make an offer. Players who do not receive a contract offer are considered “non-tendered” and become free agents.
Among the biggest names of those players that might not be tendered an office is the Yankees Gary Sanchez. Other teams important to the Yankees are the Red Sox, who have to decide on pitcher Matt Barnes. The Astros have to decide about Aledmys Diaz. The Rays need to think seriously about first baseman Ji-Man Choi, and the Orioles must decide on hitter Hanser Alberto. Other New York Yankees that may be non-tendered are Jonathan Holder, Ben Heller, and Luis Cessa.
The biggest question for the New York Yankees and the Yankee fans is, will the Yankee’s tender the diminished catcher a contract? Some fans still have plenty of faith in Sanchez and those who have lost faith that he can ever turn his game around. The writer believes that the Yankee will tender Gary an almost $6 million contract.
There is no question that the Yankees lost faith in Sanchez as the past season progressed in favor of Kyle Higashioka. That being true, the Yankees still believe in the talent that Sanchez processes. On the hot stove, manager Aaron Boone all but said that Sanchez would remain in pinstripes as he sang his praises and belief that the crazy 60 game coronavirus season was a blip in his performance. They continue to believe they can again unlock that talent.
There is no question that Sanchez is trying to improve, as demonstrated by him playing in the winter league in the Dominican Republic. If they do indeed tender him, it is this writer’s opinion that it will be a mistake. In four years, they haven’t been able to improve his defense. The guy just can’t hit for contact. In contrast, most players have trouble with offspeed stuff and usually make contact with fastballs. Many of Sanchez’s strikeouts come off of pitcher’s fastballs. Nevertheless, the Yankees will tender him.
I like Gary Sanchez and I hope he and the Yankees can change my opinion of him this coming season.