Jose Guillen has some potential suitors in the Yankees, Giants - MLB

Jose Guillen is one of the many, many guys who wouldn’t be nearly as maligned as he is if it weren’t for his contract. I mean, no, he’s no great shakes, but if he was doing one year deals for reasonable money every winter no one would be saying bad things about him. Well, not many bad things about him. He’s been useful at times, and I kinda feel bad when people go after guys like him simply because Dayton Moore decided to overpay him. Even when I do it, which I’m sure I have before.

Anyway, the point of all of this is that, assuming no one makes a deal for him in the next nine days, some team is going to be able to sign him for peanuts after the Royals release him. I had half a thought yesterday that Atlanta might be one of those teams because they could still use an outfield bat. I think Frank Wren knows, however, that he’ll lose the entire fan base if he trots out 2/3 of the 2010 Kansas City Royals’ outfield in the middle of a pennant race. The messaging is just wrong, ya know?

But the Yankees and Giants don’t seem to mind: each of them is reported to be at least somewhat interested in the guy. Which is a bit funny because (a) the Yankees have brought in something like 248 extra position players in the past week, so I’m not sure whose place Guillen would take; and (b) the Giants are already running Pat Burrell out to left field, so why would they want to add another frequently-gimpy and none-too-fabulous outfielder?

But the point is made: without the $12 million albatross hanging around his neck, Guillen is at least moderately desirable and could very well wind up with his 10th team sometime this month.

SAN DIEGO — The scuffling San Diego Padres claimed catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from the New York Mets.

The two-time All-Star was designated for assignment after playing in three games for the Mets. He went 1 for 6 with three strikeouts and an RBI, looking shaky at times behind the plate.

With the disappointing Padres (24-29) getting meager offensive production at catcher, they hope Sánchez can provide a boost. Austin Nola is batting .131 with three extra-base hits and a paltry .434 OPS in 39 games. His part-time platoon partner, second-stringer Brett Sullivan, is hitting .170 with four extra-base hits and a .482 OPS in 21 games since getting called up from the minors April 16.

Luis Campusano has been on the injured list since April 17 and is expected to be sidelined until around the All-Star break following left thumb surgery.

San Diego is responsible for just over $1 million in salary for Sánchez after assuming his $1.5 million, one-year contract.

The star-studded Padres have lost seven of 11 and are 3-3 on a nine-game East Coast trip. They open a three-game series at Miami.

San Diego becomes the third National League team to take a close look at the 30-year-old Sánchez this season. He spent time in the minors with San Francisco before getting released May 2 and signing a minor league contract a week later with the Mets, who were minus a couple of injured catchers at the time.

After hitting well in a short stint at Triple-A Syracuse, he was promoted to the big leagues May 19. When the Mets reinstated catcher Tomás Nido from the injured list last week, Sánchez was cut.

Sánchez’s best seasons came early in his career with the New York Yankees, where he was runner-up in 2016 AL Rookie of the Year voting and made the AL All-Star team in 2017 and 2019.

He was traded to Minnesota before the 2022 season and batted .205 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 128 games last year.

With the Padres, Sánchez could also be a candidate for at-bats at designated hitter, where 42-year-old Nelson Cruz is batting .245 with three homers, 16 RBIs and a .670 OPS, and 37-year-old Matt Carpenter is hitting .174 with four homers, 21 RBIs and a .652 OPS.