"He deserves to play in the big leagues" - Minnesota Twins catcher weighs in on dissatisfied New York Yankees third baseman requesting trade

While he may not be a member of the New York Yankees anymore, Minnesota Twins catcher Gary Sanchez still loves his teammates. When asked for his thoughts on former teammate and New York Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar's request for a trade after being sent down to AAA, Sanchez didn't mince any words, as reported by Meg Ryan of the "Minnesota Star Tribune."

"#MNTwins catcher Gary Sanchez gave his support to his former New York Yankees teammate Miguel Andújar, who recently requested a trade from #RepBX after dropping down to the minors"

Gary Sanchez has enjoyed a solid start to his career with the Minnesota Twins after being traded from the New York Yankees and feels that Miguel Andujar would benefit from a change of scenery as well

Sanchez and Andujar were close during their tenure as teammates with the New York Yankees. Both players were signed out of the Dominican Republic as teenagers and navigated the hardships of being foreign players in baseball's minor league system. After getting off to fast starts in their career, the two were heralded as cornerstones for building the next era of Yankees baseball. However, both Gary Sanchez and Miguel Andujar suffered the same fate, as a combination of slumps and injuries prompted them to be passed over for younger, more durable talent. Ironically, Andujar's replacement Gio Urshela was shipped to Minnesota with Gary Sanchez; however, Miguel has yet to capitalize on the opportunity.

Los Angeles Angels v New York Yankees - Game Two

The time finally came this past weekend, when the Yankees needed a roster spot for Giancarlo Stanton's return from the Injured List. Andujar was selected to return to AAA Scranton, a destination he had grown tired of shuffling to and from over the past couple of seasons. It was at this point that Andujar requested a trade to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

"Optioned to Triple-A last night, Miguel Andujar has requested a trade"- Bryan Hoch

Perhaps, there's merit to Sanchez's suggestion. In his first season with the Minnesota Twins, the catcher is having his best season since being named to the American League All-Star team in 2019, and he has been a key component to helping Byron Buxton and the Twins hold on to first place in the American League Central. Perhaps, the 27-year-old Andujar would be able to recapture some of the magic that made him such a tantelizing prospect in 2018.