Mets nominate receiver Gary Sánchez for assignment: What it means for New York’s catch situation

by

New York Mets wide receiver Gary Sánchez has been slated for assignment, the team announced Thursday. Here’s what you need to know:

  • New York reinstated receiver Tomás Nido from the 10-day disabled list in place of Sánchez.
  • Sánchez, in his first season with the Mets, has one RBI and zero homers in just three games played.
  • The Mets called Sánchez on May 18.

THE AthleticInstant analysis of:

What the changes mean for the Mets’ catch situation

Nido’s improved vision and Francisco Alvarez’s terrific all-around play made it easier to end the experiment with Sánchez.

Since seeing the bulk of playing time without Nido and Omar Narvaez (on the injured list with a calf injury), Alvarez has played as one of the best receivers in baseball. In 16 starts in May, Alvarez cut .294 / .379 / .667 while continuing to improve at managing the Mets’ veteran pitching staff in addition to skillfully framing pitches and blocking balls in the dirt. He deserves to continue playing regularly as the Mets’ main receiver, however, manager Buck Showalter did not air the Mets’ plans when asked if that was the plan.

Showalter said Alvarez will continue to “catch his share of games,” while adding that he’s also not going to let Nido go inactive because “there’s a part of it where he has to test where he’s at. with all.”

The Mets are hoping this provides a fresh start for Nido, who struggled at home plate and wasn’t as sharp defensively as he always was before.

Nido recently had punctal plugs inserted into each eye. They help them stay lubricated, which alleviates the symptoms of dry eye syndrome. Despite having LASIK surgery in 2019, Nido has to wear contacts again. He said he needed about a week to get used to the prescription and get comfortable with things. While no one wants to use vision issues as an excuse, they’ve clearly had an impact on his level of play. Offensively, Nido probably won’t be counted on in the lineup for consistent production, but he’s at least better than the start of the season. Defensively, Nido is shaping up to be one of the best in the game.

Narvaez began his rehab mission with the Brooklyn Cyclones on Thursday. After a few days, he will be moving to Triple-A Syracuse. He plans to return in early June. — Sammon

What’s happening to Sanchez?

Besides not showing much offensively in a small sample, Sánchez also didn’t look good defensively. When he left on Tuesday, he failed to catch a pop-up in foul territory and had a passed ball. Prior to joining the Mets, Sánchez caught the attention of the Angels in the major leagues, according to league sources. The Mets now have a week to trade him or pass waivers. — Sammon

Pass

Sánchez spent his first seven seasons in MLB with the New York Yankees before playing a year with the Minnesota Twins. The two-time All-Star is batting .225 with 154 home runs and 402 RBIs over his nine-year career.

New York takes on the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night at 7:40 p.m. ET.

Compulsory reading

(Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/USA Today)

Leave a Comment