Brewers reunite with 2x All-Star catcher in second free agent signing of offseason

As Milwaukee Brewers fans continue to process Monday's Caleb Durbin trade with the Boston Red Sox, wondering how the front office will address the seemingly glaring hole on the left side of the infield, an addition has been made to a different part of the roster. In Milwaukee's second major league free agent signing of the offseason -- the first being the team's signing of Akil Baddoo in early December -- the Brewers have agreed to a one-year contract with old friend Gary Sánchez, as initially reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post on the social media platform X.

As Heyman succinctly reports, it's a modest $1.75 million deal for Sánchez, but it is a major league contract, which is notable. Sánchez will take up one of the Brewers' two remaining 40-man roster spots and can't be sent to the minor leagues without first clearing waivers.

Sánchez will join both Jeferson Quero and William Contreras on the 40-man roster. Contreras will obviously be the Brewers' everyday catcher, and if history is any indication, "everyday" is not an exaggeration. When it comes to the backup catcher spot, however, the situation was less obvious heading into Spring Training. While Quero is a top prospect and is knocking on the door of the big leagues, he's also still working his way back from a major shoulder surgery that kept him off the field for a season and a half. Many Brewers fans expected minor league signing Reese McGuire to end up making the Opening Day roster and serving as Contreras' backup to start the season, but now that ship has seemingly sailed.

Brewers reunite with Gary Sánchez on one-year, $1.75 million contract

Sánchez certainly is no longer the same player he once was -- when he made two All-Star Game appearances in three years with the New York Yankees back in 2017-19 -- but he does represent an improvement over McGuire and offers more certainty than an unproven prospect like Quero.

The biggest question for Sánchez will be: can he stay healthy throughout the course of the season? As a member of the Brewers back in 2024, Sánchez appeared in 89 games -- 28 as a catcher. Last year, however, Sánchez appeared in just 29 games for the Baltimore Orioles as he battled wrist and knee injuries.

The now-33-year-old Sánchez still has plenty of pop in his bat when he's healthy -- he's slugged 16 homers in those 118 total games over the last two years -- but his defense is average at best, and he offers no value on the basepaths.

While Sánchez immediately becomes the leading candidate to earn the Opening Day backup catcher role, his inexpensive contract shouldn't put too much pressure on the Brewers to keep him on the major league roster if either Quero or McGuire emerges as a better option in the minor leagues.

On the day the Brewers' pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training, Sánchez joins the bunch. Since Milwaukee had two open 40-man roster spots prior to the signing, no corresponding roster move is required.