Mike Pelfrey interested in long-term contract with Mets - MLB

Mike Pelfrey will be eligible for salary arbitration this offseason for the first time, but the 26-year-old right-hander told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com that he’s interested in working out a long-term contract with the Mets:

I would be interested. They’d have to bring it up, but I’m sure we’ll explore it. I’m definitely open to it. My agent and them will work it out. If they want to do it, I’m open to it. If not, that’s fine, too.

Pelfrey’s agent is Scott Boras, which could complicate things given that his clients rarely agree to long-term deals before hitting the open market as free agents. Of course, Pelfrey is under team control through 2014, so there’s no real rush for the Mets to do much of anything.
Asked to describe the Mets’ interest in a potential long-term extension, Pelfrey said: “Crickets. It’s been crickets.” For now at least he’ll have to settle for a huge raise via the arbitration process, where his 15-9 record and 3.75 ERA will be evaluated relative to pitchers with similar performances and service time.

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.