Gary Sanchez And Aaron Judge, Once Yankee Cornerstones, Headed In Opposite Directions

It was the dog days of August and the 2016 New York Yankees had just parted ways with their star-crossed slugger, Alex Rodriguez, who was only a year and a half removed from his season-long doping suspension.

Rodriguez’s release came two months before the club would miss the postseason for the third time in four years, but as the team finished the season, two of the franchise’s homegrown prospects would get significant playing time: catcher Gary Sánchez, who had made his major league debut a year earlier, and towering outfielder Aaron Judge.

Judge’s promotion was a corresponding move to Rodriguez’s release, and the California kid didn’t disappoint in his first big league at-bat, slugging the second of consecutive solo home runs, the first by Tyler Austin, during a Yankees’ win over Tampa Bay on August 13. The very next game, Judge and Sánchez both connected for homers off the Rays’ Jake Odorizzi, although the Yankees lost, 12-3.

Sánchez continued his homer barrage the remainder of that season — he hit 20 in 53 total games played — while Judge’s bat cooled off some from late August through September 2016. The outfielder finished with four home runs in 27 games, and struck out 42 times. Sánchez had a significant amount of whiffs as well (57), but still batted .299 that rookie season.

“Obviously your hope is that—over time—they can become middle-of-the-order guys, very consistent middle of the order, very productive middle-of-the-order guys,” former Yankees manager Joe Girardi said in late August 2016 of Sanchez and Judge, after the catcher batted third and Judge was in the cleanup spot during a series with Toronto.

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But while Judge’s Yankee star status only grew starting with the 2017 season — he was an All-Star and was runner-up to Houston’s Jose Altuve for the American League MVP — Sanchez’s remaining years in the Bronx were a mixed bag. He showed power at the plate, but his defensive miscues mounted and in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, ace Gerrit Cole had Kyle Higashioka behind the plate for his start in the Wild Card series against Cleveland.

Sánchez led the majors in passed balls (18) in 2018, and was tied with Yasmani Grandal for that stat in 2017 (16). On offense, Sánchez hit a measly .186 in 2018 over 89 games. He never batted higher than .232 over the next three seasons in the Bronx. The 2016 two-month star turn for the Dominican-born Sánchez was a long way in the rear-view mirror by the time the catcher was dealt to the Minnesota Twins before the 2022 season.

Judge, meanwhile, became the face of the storied pinstriped franchise — and was eventually named captain, succeeding Hall of Famer Derek Jeter for that honor. Last year, Judge slugged homers to the tune of an AL record 62, and eclipsed the hallowed mark of former Yankee Roger Maris. Judge also demonstrated superb athleticism in the outfield despite his size. When he hit the free-agent market at the end of last season, the Linden, California-born Judge, 31, signed a gargantuan nine-year, $360 million pact.

After Aaron Boone took over the Yankee managerial reins in 2018, he was gifted two young talents in Sánchez and Judge, and Boone remained one of Sánchez’s biggest allies even after the catcher’s Gotham career sputtered. Sánchez earned the New Work baseball fans’ ire and he was New York sports talk radio’s resident punching bag.

“I think he’s been unfairly criticized a lot,” Boone said in a late 2020 interview with the YES Network. “I think at times it’s over the top and people are blinded by some of the things that he’s done really well. This year was certainly a challenging year for him and a struggle for him in a lot of ways, but that’s okay.”

yesnetwork.comAaron Boone on 2020, looking ahead to 2021 | 11/24/2020 | YES Network

Sánchez, 30, was traded to Minnesota and spent last season in the midwest, but still struggled with his bat, despite the change of scenery. He batted .205 in 128 games played. The catcher signed with the San Francisco Giants as a free agent this year, but the club released him May 2. He signed a minor-league deal with the Mets a few days later, and played three games before he was designated for assignment.

In one start with the Mets against the Cubs, Sánchez had a passed ball, and looked awkward trying to catch — and missing — a foul pop behind the plate. Tomás Nido and stud rookie Francisco Álvarez are the Mets’ primary catchers on the depth chart.

Now, Sánchez — who’s made about $25 million in his career — awaits a new major league employer while Judge picked up right where he left off during his ‘22 AL MVP campaign. On Sunday, Judge whacked his 15th homer, off San Diego’s You Darvish. The Yankee captain will be a big reason the club makes another run for a postseason berth.