Ali Sánchez‘s three-run homer with a full count, two outs and runners on the corners extended the Yankees’ lead in the eighth inning of Monday’s series-opening win at the Chicago White Sox while delivering a lifelong dream for the 29-year-old from Venezuela.
Sánchez, 29, hit his first MLB home run through 75 games — 25 with Aaron Boone‘s team this season — since debuting for the Mets in 2020 and subsequently bouncing around the big leagues until returning to New York as a Yankee.
“I mean, that’s a moment that I always talk with my teammates about it — it’s just special,” Sánchez told YES Network after the Yankees (60-46) earned the 9-5 final against the White Sox (55-50) at Rate Field in Chicago, winning for the 10th time in the past 14 games. “I felt like I was living a dream running the bases — just a little kid running from Venezuela in a small town, just running the bases.”
From Venezuela, Sánchez signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2013. He spent the following seven years in the organization and made his debut Aug. 10, 2020, before the Mets traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash Feb. 12, 2021.
Sánchez’s stops from there included stints in the organizations of the Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. The 2025 season saw him go from the Blue Jays to Boston, back to the Mets via Triple-A Syracuse, and then back to the Red Sox before signing with the Yankees in December.
Through 25 games with the Yankees this season, Sánchez is slashing .255/.294/.355 and has seven RBI.
“Obviously, it a was a big home run, too,” Boone said. “Just one of those games that was just had a back and forth, turned into bullpen kind of thing. Looked like we were going to be able to potentially add on there and they get a couple big outs and then Ali hits a no-doubter to give us some separation, so really cool.
“Everyone’s journey’s different, obviously, and there’s so many tremendous stories to tell about different guys — and Ali’s one of those.”
Read the full article here