Sanchez gets first big league promotion with Turner placed on DL

By Mark Zuckerman

Nationals

June 30, 2017, 12:20pm

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ST. LOUIS - The Nationals have promoted Adrian Sanchez from Triple-A Syracuse to take Trea Turner's roster spot, rewarding the 26-year-old infielder with his first call-up to the big leagues after a decade in their farm system.

Sanchez, who was hitting .259 with four homers and a .694 OPS in 72 games with the Chiefs, had his contract purchased, a transaction that required a corresponding move to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for him. Reliever Sammy SolÃs thus was transferred from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day DL, though because the left-hander has already missed more than two months with an elbow injury he remains eligible to return whenever he's deemed ready.

One day after suffering a non-displaced fracture of his right wrist on a hit-by-pitch, Turner was formally placed on the 10-day DL. The Nationals have not yet offered a timetable for the shortstop's recovery, but the club is proceeding as though he won't be returning until sometime around Sept. 1.

In Turner's absence, manager Dusty Baker is expected to turn primarily to veteran Stephen Drew to start at shortstop, with Wilmer Difo also getting some playing time.

Sanchez would be available to back up at shortstop, third base and second base (which he has played more than the other infield positions during his minor league career).

Sanchez's promotion comes a decade after the Nationals originally signed him out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old. One month shy of his 27th birthday, he finally gets a chance to play in the majors after hitting .264 with a .657 OPS over the breadth of his minor league career.