San Diego Padres elated as castoff catcher Gary Sanchez turns into homer machine since signing with team: "He just really likes playing in pinstripes"

Gary Sanchez may have finally found his home with the San Diego Padres.

The former New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins castoff, who found himself pretty much unemployable through the first several months of 2023, has reaped immediate rewards for the Padres after the team signed him on May 30.

Sanchez went deep against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, giving him four home runs in nine games since making his San Diego debut.

Gary Sanchez was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres just four days after he was designated for assignment by the New York Mets. He got in just six at-bats over three games before he was let go. In those games he went 1-for-6 in his brief time in New York, logging one RBI.

Mets fans taunted the Padres faithful after their team moved to pick up Sanchez to replace a deep-slumping Austin Nola. New York Yankees fans had a simple explanation for Sanchez's sudden surge.

Gary Sanchez wandered around several MLB organizations this season after not being re-signed by the Minnesota Twins last winter. A one-time star catcher for the Yankees, Sanchez was signed to a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants on March 31.

He never made the big-league club and, on May 3, he requested and was granted his release by the organization after hitting just .164 over 16 games with San Francisco's Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats.

It was been a precipitous fall from grace for the 2016 American League Rookie of the Year runner-up and 2017 Silver Slugger Award winner. But with the San Diego Padres, he has seen a quick resurgence, batting near .300 to go with his power explosion.

Gary Sanchez was signed by the Yankees as an international free agent in 2009 before making his MLB debut in 2015 at the age of 22.

Sanchez quickly established himself as one of the most promising young catchers in baseball, hitting 20 home runs in just 53 games during the 2016 season. He was named the AL Player of the Week twice in 2017 and earned his first All-Star selection that same year.

Sanchez's time with the Yankees was marked by both success and struggles. He continued to hit for power, hitting 34 home runs during the 2019 season but also struggled with injuries and defensive issues.

Sanchez was traded to the Twins in a multi-player deal on March 13, 2022. However, he spent just one season in Minnesota as the Twins decided not to re-sign him after he hit just .205 with 16 home runs in 128 games.

But perhaps, at long last, he has found himself once again with the San Diego Padres.

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Gary Sanchez could be the spark the San Diego Padres have been desperately looking for

Manny Machado #13 congratulates Gary Sanchez #99 of the San Diego Padres after his three-run home run

The San Diego Padres have been desperately seeking a spark this season as the team continues to play sub-.500 ball. Could Sanchez somehow be what the team has been looking for?

While written off by many, the veteran has emerged as the underdog savior at a struggling San Diego outfit.