TORONTO — The Blue Jays signed Aaron Sanchez to a minor-league deal earlier this week, bringing back a pitcher who was once an integral piece in the organization. However, Sanchez is years removed from his days as an impact right-hander and because of that, the move largely fell under the radar.
Simeon Woods Richardson heard about the signing, though.
The Minnesota Twins right-hander built a relationship with Sanchez during their time together in triple-A. Woods Richardson spent most of last season with the St. Paul Saints while Sanchez spent the first half of the campaign with the Twins’ affiliate before he was released in late July.
“He’s a great clubhouse guy,” Woods Richardson said. “High-energy guy who’s been around the block for a while. So, I just kind of picked his brain a little bit and talked about some things and what helped him through his career.”
Sanchez, a first-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2010, was a heralded prospect in the organization’s system. He broke into the big-leagues as a reliever in 2014 and spent some time in the rotation the next year before winning the American League ERA title in 2016. He posted a 3.00 ERA across 30 starts and 192 innings that season, fronting the starting staff for a Blue Jays club that advanced to the AL Championship Series.
That represented the pinnacle of Sanchez’s career, which has been derailed by blister issues and a 2019 surgery on his throwing shoulder. The Blue Jays dealt the right-hander to the Houston Astros ahead of the ’19 trade deadline and he’s since bounced around the majors, pitching for the San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals and Twins.
Sanchez didn’t appear in the majors in 2023, but posted a 5.54 ERA over 22 games between St. Paul and Reno, the triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 31-year-old Sanchez was a free agent over the winter and into the beginning of this season before the Blue Jays took a flier on him. The best-case scenario would include him becoming a serviceable option for a club that has taken several recent hits to its starting pitch depth.
“A little bit of a Fountain of Youth,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider when asked what he wanted to see out of Sanchez during the right-hander’s first start for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Friday.
“We all know Sanchie. I know him really well and think the world of him. Haven’t spoken to him yet — I’ll probably do it after he pitches [Friday] — but I want to see where his stuff is and I want to see strikes, really, and kind of go from there.”
Sanchez didn’t deliver on that end against the Worcester Red Sox and was roughed up for six runs on five hits and three walks over four innings. His fastball averaged 90.2 m.p.h. and he generated just one whiff on 26 swings while throwing just 53 per cent strikes (35 out of 66 pitches).
Sanchez obviously has some ways to go before he could be in a position to potentially help the major-league club, but the Blue Jays are expected to give the right-hander some time to find his footing.
Woods Richardson spent plenty of time with Sanchez last year and says the veteran was generous with doling out advice.
“Just be yourself, attack the strike zone and be confident with everything you throw,” says Woods Richardson of what stood out from those conversations. “He had a mentality that strike one is the best pitch in baseball.”
The two also spoke about the rough road Sanchez has had to travel because of his injuries and the 23-year-old Woods Richardson walked away impressed.
“Anybody who goes through that type of hardship has to be strong mentally,” said Woods Richardson. “I think he’s one of those guys that definitely has the mental strength to be in this game a long time. He loves the game. He’s very competitive. That competitive nature is still in him and he’s a dog.”
The two also chatted about their time in the Blue Jays organization. Woods Richardson, of course, was traded to the club in the 2019 deal that sent Marcus Stroman to the New York Mets and, in 2021, he was flipped to the Twins along with Austin Martin in exchange for Jose Berrios.
Woods Richardson will face the Blue Jays in Saturday’s afternoon contest at Rogers Centre but says there’s no extra motivation for him in facing the team that traded him.
“At the end of the day, it’s a business,” he said. “This game’s a business, so I’m just going out there with my game plan, attacking the hitters. It’s a normal day, a normal game.”
The right-hander has been excellent over his four starts this season, posting a 1.74 ERA and 1.86 FIP with 21 strikeouts across 20.2 innings. Woods Richardson attributes his success to his off-season work to lower his arm slot, which has allowed him to be more efficient and “be more of an athlete” on the mound.
Not lost on him, though, are the discussions from his time with Sanchez.
“I had to [treat]him with respect,” said Woods Richardson. “He’s been around the block way longer than me. He clearly knows some things, just from experience alone. So, sitting down [with him], it’s close your mouth, open your ears and just listen.”
