Aaron Boone wishes Gary Sanchez the best with Mets
Gary Sanchez of the Mets works out on the field before a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Citi Field on Friday, May 19, 2023 in the Queens borough of New York City. Credit: Jim McIsaac
CINCINNATI — Gary Sanchez’s promotion to the Mets’ big-league roster didn’t create much of a ripple one way or the other in the Yankees’ organization.
But Aaron Boone, for one, said he will be rooting for the catcher (except if he’s on the roster long enough to face the Yankees, of course).
“Good for him. Happy for him to be back in the big leagues,” Boone said Friday. “Hopefully, he can go there and have success.”
Sanchez, 30, a hyped Yankees prospect from the time they signed him out of the Dominican Republic for $3 million in 2009, made his major-league debut in October 2015. He went on a tear in 2016, hitting 20 homers in 53 games — including 19 in a 37-game stretch late in that season, which earned him the nickname “The Kraken” by general manager Brian Cashman — but saw his career in pinstripes quickly spiral after All-Star appearances in 2017 and 2019.
Sanchez batted .201 in his last four seasons with the Yankees, including .147 in 2020. When he was unable to find a consistent hitting stroke, his struggles on defense became more magnified. The Yankees finally cut bait early in spring training in 2022, trading Sanchez and Gio Urshela to the Twins for Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Ben Rortvedt and Josh Donaldson.
“He is someone that we all like personally,” Boone said. “And for me, someone that I gained a lot of respect for. He never ran from things, always ready to post, always worked, cared about his team and his teammates. I think especially when you have guys like that, that you feel like go about it the right away and work hard and face their share of adversity and keep on grinding, I respect that, and that’s something I definitely respected about Gary and certainly wish him the best.”
Yankees trade for Allen
The Yankees acquired outfielder Greg Allen from the Red Sox for minor-league righthander Diego Hernandez and cash considerations. The switch-hitting Allen, 30, played with the Yankees in 2021. He has hit .232 (165-for-712) with 103 runs, 30 doubles, seven triples, 10 homers, 67 RBIs, 45 walks and 45 stolen bases in 282 games over parts of six seasons with the Guardians (2017-20), Padres (2020), Yankees and Pirates (2022).
