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On the cusp of a World Series crown, a former Yankees phenom turned flameout is not ruling out a return to where it all started.
Catcher/designated hitter Gary Sanchez, a member of the 2026 National League champion Brewers, is preparing to face his one-time AL East foe, the Rays, in the World Series in search of his first career championship.
At 33, the well-traveled slugger has been with six different organizations in the five years since his Yankees career unceremoniously ended in 2022 with a trade to the Twins.
But once the World Series wraps up, “El Gary” — who has spoken fondly of his at-times tumultuous career in the Bronx — is not ruling anything out.
“I’m still playing, and you never know,” Sanchez said in an interview with Jomboy Media’s JoezMcfly. “I’m a free agent [this offseason] and life takes many turns. You never know.”
A highly touted prospect in the Yankees’ system, Sanchez took the Yankees and MLB by storm in 2016, going on a torrid stretch over the last two months that nearly earned him Rookie of the Year honors.
Among his exploits, Sanchez earned Player of the Month honors for August and became the fastest player in MLB history to reach 11 career homers.
He followed that up by establishing himself as one of the team’s most feared hitters, posting a pair of 30-plus home run seasons and making two All-Star teams from 2017-2019.
“You know, I had my best years in the big leagues with the Yankees,” Sanchez said. “Many fans will remember me for a long time, and I set records for the franchise too.
“I will be mentioned for a long time and it’s the team I played with the longest, so thank you for all the support.”
However, defense, hustle and ability to make consistent contact made Sanchez a polarizing figure in New York, cutting into his playing time and, ultimately, his Yankees tenure.
Since his departure, Sanchez has settled into a role as a right-handed power bat off the bench, making stops with the Twins, Mets, Padres, Orioles and now the Brewers for a second stint.
In 86 games this season, Sanchez slashed .209/.349/.422 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs.
His lone postseason at-bat resulted in a crucial walk, setting up Jackson Chourio’s walk-off single in Game 2 of the NLDS.
Sanchez’s once-suspect defense has seen improvement since leaving left New York, but he appeared behind the plate for 43 games this season while splitting the rest of his time between DH and first base.
The Yankees were reportedly in the market for a right-handed catcher this past season but ultimately did not make a trade, instead rolling with veteran Ali Sanchez down the stretch.
Entering an offseason that is likely to see a lockout, predicting any moves is difficult, but Sanchez appears more than open to a second act in the Big Apple.