Aaron Sanchez has found a new home.
UPDATE, Jan. 27, 5:00 p.m. ET: Sanchez has signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals, according to Robert Murray of Fansided.
Per Murray:
Sanchez, 33, gets $1.5 million if he’s in the majors with the ability to earn more in incentives through games pitched. It also includes an assignment clause and release clauses on April 15 and May 15.
Jan. 14:
After a strong showing in the Dominican winter league, former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Sanchez could return to the major leagues in 2026, according to a report from Francys Romero on social media.
Aaron Sanchez, 33, has drawn interest and multiple MLB team offers this offseason.
His agent, Chris Leible of Smooth Baseball, said, “We are considering our options.”
Sanchez had a strong winter with Toros del Este: 4-2, 1.55 ERA, 46.1 IP, 34 SO in the Dominican Winter League.
About Sanchez
Still just 33 years old, Sanchez hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2022. He was the No. 34 overall draft pick in the 2010 MLB Draft by the Blue Jays and made his debut with Toronto in 2014. Over parts of six seasons with Toronto, he went 32-33 with a 3.96 ERA, even winning 15 games in 2016. He made the All-Star Game that season and led the American League in ERA (3.00) as the Jays advanced to the American League Championship Series.
He pitched in the playoffs in both 2015 and '16 for Toronto, throwing six solid innings and giving up just one run in the 2016 ALCS against Cleveland.
However, after that 2016 run, he wasn't able to maintain his health or his performance, pitching in just eight games in 2017 and going 1-3. The next year, he was 4-6 with a 4.89 ERA in 20 starts.
The last time he was in a Jays jersey was 2019, when he went 3-14 with a 6.07 ERA. He was let go and ended the year with the Houston Astros, where he actually contributed to a no-hitter.
He spent part of 2021 with the San Francisco Giants and then pitched for both the Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals in 2022.
Lifetime, he's 38-38 with a 4.16 ERA.
He made 22 appearances in the minor leagues with the Twins and Diamondbacks in 2023 and made 14 more in the Blue Jays system at Triple-A Buffalo in 2024, going 3-6 with a 7.92 ERA.
Could the Jays bring him back?
Sure, anything is possible, but there's no room for him on the big league roster right now. Toronto is built to win the World Series, not take on reclamation projects, which is what Sanchez is.
The starting rotation is full with Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, and the bullpen figures to have seven of eight spots currently filled a well: Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Louis Varland, Yimi Garcia, Mason Fluharty, Eric Lauer and Jose Berrios.
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