March 26, 2023 2:37 PM : Sanchez is expected to be included on the Marlins' 26-man Opening Day roster, but he could serve as a bench bat rather than a regular starter, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: Though he cut down his strikeout rate from 31.1 percent in 2021 to 26.8 percent in 2022, Sanchez's power output (.189 ISO in 2022, .238 ISO) took a major step back from the season prior. Sanchez has slashed a credible .302/.333/.419 through his first 18 games of Grapefruit League play and looks to have done enough to break camp with the big club, but with Jazz Chisholm (arm) making the full-time move to center field and with Jorge Soler seeing more work in the corner outfield spot opposite Avisail Garcia as spring training winds down, Sanchez looks as though he'll have to settle for a reserve role. If the Marlins aren't willing to open up a regular spot in the outfield for Sanchez, he may struggle to find playing time off the bench, given that his left-handedness won't make him a candidate to fill a short-side platoon role.