What's on Tap: Previewing Wednesday evening's action - MLB

We have tons of afternoon baseball to keep you occupied in the waning hours of your work day. Seven games remain for the evening.

Lefty Drew Pomeranz will make his Red Sox debut against the Giants at Fenway Park in a 7:10 PM EDT start. The Sox acquired Pomeranz from the Padres last week for minor league pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza. Baseball America recently rated Espinoza the fourth-best prospect in Boston’s minor league system, so it’s a good get for the Padres.

Pomeranz has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season, leaving San Diego with a 2.47 ERA and a 115/41 K/BB ratio in 102 innings. He earned his first career All-Star nomination as a reuslt. While it’s true he pitched half his games in the pitcher-friendly Petco Park, Pomeranz actually pitched better on the road.

Home: 47 2/3 innings, 2.64 ERA, 54 strikeouts, 17 walks, 1.112 WHIP
Away: 54 1/3 innings, 2.32 ERA, 61 strikeouts, 24 walks, 1.012 WHIP

Moving to Fenway Park may not be as much of a damper on his numbers as some would think. He’ll get his first shot tonight against the first-place Giants.

The rest of Wednesday evening’s action…

Baltimore Orioles (Yovani Gallardo) @ New York Yankees (Michael Pineda), 7:05 PM EDT

Los Angeles Dodgers (Bud Norris) @ Washington Nationals (Gio Gonzalez), 7:05 PM EDT

Miami Marlins (Wei-Yin Chen) @ Philadelphia Phillies (Jeremy Hellickson), 7:05 PM EDT

Milwaukee Brewers (Chase Anderson) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (Jeff Locke), 7:05 PM EDT

San Diego Padres (Paul Clemens) @ St. Louis Cardinals (Jaime Garcia), 8:15 PM EDT [Game Two]

Texas Rangers (Martin Perez) @ Los Angeles Angels (Hector Santiago), 10:05 PM EDT

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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.

What’s on Tap: Previewing Wednesday evening’s action

Padres claim 2-time All-Star catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from Mets