Miguel Andujar and his latest trade order is backed by at least one ex-colleague who recently shipped from The Bronx himself.
Twin catcher Gary Sanchez, the former Yankee who will face his old team starting Tuesday in Minnesota, went for the Andujar racket after the left player He asked to be dealt with after Friday night demoted to Triple-A.
“My opinion, it’s time for them or any other team to give him a chance,” Sanchez told reporters through an interpreter. In the Star Tribune. “He deserves to play in the big leagues. He has done a good job, offensively, but also defensively. He has come a long way defensively, and he has shown his ability to stay in the big leagues. Maybe he deserves a chance at another team.”
Andujar, having featured a lengthy stint as an injury substitute over the past two weeks, was selected to return to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as the Yankees regain full strength.
Andujar had been requesting to be traded since the end of last year, without a regular spot on the Yankees’ roster, but repeated that request after Friday night’s game upon receiving news of his recent demotion.
Sanchez, who was close to Andujar during their time together in the Yankees, understood this kind of thinking.
“If I were him, I would probably think of the same thing, ask for a deal, for a different scenario,” Sanchez said. “Because it’s really hard when you’re ready, when you show that you’re ready at that level, you get sent to Triple-A and play Triple-A when you deserve to be in the big leagues.
“…But at the same time, neither of us makes those decisions. We are just here to do our work. The front offices decide that. But I support him and I hope it all goes well.”
In 12 games for the Yankees this season, Andujar has been hitting 0.268 with a 0.596 OPS while showing defensive strides in left field. However, he was not able to produce consistently after being AL Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2018.
Andujar had shoulder surgery the following season – replaced by Gio Urcella at third base, who was dealt with twins with Sanchez this spring – and has mostly moved between the Yankees and Triple A since then.