Should Gaby Sanchez And The Marlins Reunite?

A very interesting season for the Marlins is coming up in 2015. However, there are a couple of question marks in some positions. The major one is at first base. Last year the position was guarded by Garrett Jones who obviously did not perform to expectations, making the team look out on the market for replacement. Whether it is through free agency or via trade, Jones is not seen as a viable option to start next season. Jones did hit 15 home runs and drove in 53. Nevertheless, he was very inconsistent. Jones hit .246 and struck out 116 times, the 2^nd most in his career. His WAR was -1.1 and the Marlins can’t afford to stay with Jones if they want to improve.

Many names have surfaced in 1st baseman the Marlins have been considering. Brandon Moss, Chris Davis, Evan Gattis, and Allen Craig are some of the names mentioned. The Marlins seem to want to be leaning towards going for a lefty bat to hit behind Giancarlo Stanton, but a right handed hitting 1st baseman should also be on the roster if the Marlins were to go that way. We know that Miami currently has Jeff Baker on the team. Baker can play first as well as second base. However, a more solid option would come in a former Marlin, Gaby Sanchez.

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Gaby Sanchez was designated for assignment on Monday as the Pirates had to make roster space after acquiring Sean Rodriguez from the Rays. Sanchez was part of a Pirates team that made it to the Wild Card round against the Giants but suffered a loss to the eventual 2014 World Series Champions. Sanchez hit .229 in 262 at bats, driving in 33 runs and homering 7 times. Sanchez is not an option in any way to replace Jones, but would be a good bat of the bench or in spot starts. He has had superb defense since entering the Majors which obviously cannot be said about his bat. In 2012 and 2013 Sanchez hit 19 homeruns in both seasons while keeping his average in the .265-.275 range and driving in around 75-80 RBI’s. In 2012, he was then traded to the Pirates.

A return to South Florida would be a small, inexpensive move for the Marlins as Sanchez’s numbers have decreased in his years in Pittsburgh. Sanchez is a Miami native and has Cuban parents that live here in the community. To reiterate, Sanchez would not be a starting option at first base and would not solve the Marlins problems. This would be a nifty inexpensive buy on a player looking for a bounce back season in his home town.