Gary Sánchez could never live up to his initial promise

With one season left before free agency, the Yankees made the decision to stop betting on Gary Sánchez’s potential. The once star catcher, recently mired in a seemingly endless series of injuries and streakiness, will now head to the Minnesota Twins and try to recapture the hitting chops he showed upon debuting in the league.

It’s a somewhat sad ending for one of the former faces of the Baby Bombers. Ultimately, his inconsistent hitting and shaky defense behind the plate means that the Yankees are now confident they can find similar or better production elsewhere. Still, his earlier days — and the mammoth home runs he could launch even while mired in hideous slumps— remain a highlight of…