Jonathan Sanchez has agreed to a deal to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, pending a physical. (Image Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Pitching depth was supposed to be a strength for the Los Angeles Dodgers heading into the season, but injuries have completely erased such plans leaving the organization to look elsewhere for some added depth with Major League experience. That search for added depth has led the team to free agent Jonathan Sanchez, who the team agreed to sign to a minor league deal according to ESPN’s Pedro Gomez. Sanchez will need to pass a physical before the deal is finalized.

Sanchez had joined the Pittsburgh Pirates on a minor league deal over the winter and surprisingly made the team’s Opening Day roster (thanks to the Pirates own injury woes). Sanchez struggled on the hill, however, posting a troubling 11.85 ERA and 2.415 WHIP in five appearances before the team designated him for assignment and subsequently released him.

Assuming Sanchez passes his physical he’ll likely report to the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque. The deal also reportedly contains an opt-out clause, allowing Sanchez to become a free agent if he isn’t promoted to the team’s Major League roster by July 1st.

Jonathan Sanchez has been released by the Pirates. (Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

Brought aboard on just a minor league deal over the winter, Jonathan Sanchez has been released by the Pittsburgh Pirates after clearing waivers, according to Michael Sanserino of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Sanchez had been designated for assignment on April 30th by the team after throwing just 13.2 IP in five appearances (four starts). He’d post an 0-3 record, 11.85 ERA, and 2.415 WHIP for the Pirates before the team elected to make a move. Sanchez received a chance to make the team’s Opening Day roster thanks to injuries affecting the remainder of the team’s pitching staff, notably to Francisco Liriano and Jeff Karstens.

Sanchez is 39-58 for his career, with a 4.70 ERA and 1.464 WHIP over 786.1 IP. His best years came with the San Francisco Giants, with whom he was a reliable – though never highly relied upon – member of the team’s starting rotation. However, since the Giants traded him to the Kansas City Royals prior to the 2012 season his command has completely eluded him. Sanchez has walked 60 and given up 107 hits in the 78.1 IP he’s thrown since.

Interest in the left-hander was minimal this past offseason, but at just 30 years of age there still could be reason for a team to take a chance on him provided he’s willing to pitch in the minor leagues. He’ll likely need to succeed there before another team will give him an opportunity at the Major League level.

Left-handed Jonathan Sanchez could be on the verge of joining the Pirates on a minor league deal. (Image Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports)

Sanchez is coming off a rough 2012 season that saw him traded twice. Just prior to the start of the season he was sent packing from the San Francisco Giants to the Kansas City Royals for Melky Cabrera. He was moved again before midseason, this time to Colorado for Jeremy Guthrie. Between the two stops he pitched just 64.2 innings over 15 starts, going 1-9 with a 8.07 ERA, 2.088 WHIP, and a career-worst 7.4 BB/9.

It’s hard to gauge what Sanchez might be able to bring to the table in Pittsburgh. Outside of his 2010 campaign (13-9, 3.07 ERA, 193.1 IP) his career has been largely inconsistent and relatively mediocre. Given the other options that will be in camp for the Pirates, it’s also hard to imagine a situation in which he makes the team’s active roster at the end of Spring Training. The front of the Pirates rotation – A.J. Burnett, James McDonald, Wandy Rodriguez – is likely set and Jeff Karstens appears to have an inside track of one of the two remaining spots. That could leave just one opening to a group already consisting of Andy Oliver, Jeanmar Gomez, Vin Mazzaro, and Jeff Locke. The team also has top prospect Gerrit Cole waiting in the wings with the expectation that he’ll join the rotation sometime this season.

There also remains a possibility that the organization finalizes their deal with Francisco Liriano, which was first agreed upon in January. It is uncertain if the Sanchez signing will affect the team’s efforts with Liriano.

Cabrera, who once upon a time was a Yankee, is playing more like Miguel Cabrera, or Joe DiMaggio, than the player we have come to recognize as Melky Cabrera.

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The Royals have traded struggling pitcher Jonathan Sanchez to the Rockies for another struggling pitcher in Jeremy Guthrie. (John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE)

dealt.  The Royals acquired Jonathan Sanchez last season from the Giants – and sent Melky Cabrera to San Francisco – in hopes that Sanchez could help bolster their staff.  He hasn’t been able to do so.  Now, the Royals have traded him to Colorado for Jeremy Guthrie.  According to the Associated Press and releases on both team sites, the deal was a straight trade.

Sanchez was designated for assignment by the Royals this week after going 1-6 with a  7.76 ERA in 12 starts.  In 2011, Sanchez made just 19 starts and posted a 4.26 ERA.  His best season was in 2010 when he was 13-7 with a 3.07 ERA.  He also pitched a no-hitter against the Padres in 2009.  However, the Royals vastly over-estimated his true talent and vastly under-estimated Cabrera’s true talent when making the deal last fall.

Jeremy Guthrie is not much better.  He is 3-9 with a 6.75 ERA this season in 15 starts.  He has a 4.37 ERA and has never really had a standout year.  In Cleveland and Baltimore, Guthrie was pedestrian at best.  He has not not fared much better in Colorado.

The biggest incentive for the Rockies to make this deal was probably Sanchez’s age.  He is still just 28 while Guthrie is 33.  Sanchez could regain some of his form and he has time to do so.  If he doesn’t, though, the Rockies didn’t lose much in taking a chance on him.  For the Royals, Guthrie can be inserted into the starting rotation immediately.  After designating Sanchez, they were down a starter.  The benefit there is obvious.

Both the Royals and the Rockies are in last place in their respective divisions.

For more on the Rockies, be sure to check out Rox Pile.  

For more on the Royals, be sure to check out Kings of Kauffman.  

May 7, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval (48) before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Pablo Sandoval’s initial time table for a return was between four and six weeks. He has been out for about four weeks now if his hand feels better and no setbacks occur for the 3B.

He was given an extension in the offseason that was team-friendly after bringing his weight down and managing to be worth a terrific 5.5 WAR in 2011. It was visible that the weight changes had a huge impact, as Sandoval looked great in the field for the first time in his career. He had a 142 wRC+ last season with good power and kept his batting average as high as usual.

Arguably the Giants best hitter, Sandoval is projected to be worth 5-5.5 WAR this season, as he is one of the elite players in the game and showed it last season. Having him back would be huge for the Giants, who are currently second in the division at 28-24. Melky Cabrera has been a machine this season and the Jonathan Sanchez trade couldn’t have worked better for them (they were viewed as winners at the time as well), and he could very well notch 200 hits.

In 104 plate appearances this year, Pablo Sandoval has had a 148 wRC+ and continued his impeccable 2011 form. He has been their second best hitter this season, and it will be great for the Giants to have him back with Buster Posey and Angel Pagan also hitting well in the team’s line-up. Sandoval makes this team significantly better with his offensive ability and much-improved defense.

Follow Joe Soriano on Twitter here. Check out Around the Foghorn for more on the San Francisco Giants.

With that being said, the time seems right to take a deep breath, and take a look back at the transactions that have occurred so far.  So here you are folks – here are your offseason’s top ten moves to date….
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