Sanchez was released by the Mariners on Sunday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The 32-year-old hit .250 through nine Cactus League games, but trailed Jesus Montero and Dae-Ho Lee for the backup first base position, leading to his release. The veteran hit .229/.293/.385 in his last MLB season (2014) and will now look for new team heading into the season.

Sanchez's opt-out clause in his contract is not triggered until a few months into the season, which probably puts him at a disadvantage in the competition for the right-handed platoon job at first base, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

Sanchez is competing with Jesus Montero and Dae-Ho Lee, but Montero is out of options and Lee has a late-March opt-out clause. The team likely wouldn't risk losing both of them unless Sanchez really crushes it in spring training. Sanchez hit .291/.382/.481 against lefties in seven big-league seasons, but spent last year in Japan, where he batted only .226/.328/.392.

Sanchez signed a minor league contract with the Mariners on Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jerry Crasnick of Baseball America reports.

Sanchez spent last year playing baseball in Japan, posting a .226/.328/.392 slash line over 232 plate appearances. He expressed a wish to play in the majors again this season, and now that Seattle has signed him, he has his chance. The Mariners are pretty set at first base with Adam Lind, but the veteran will likely compete for the backup job and hope to make the big league team that way.

Sanchez hopes to return to MLB this season, SB Nation's Chris Cotillo reports.

The 32-year-old Sanchez spent 2015 with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan, posting a .226/.328/.392 slash line over 232 plate appearances. He owns a career .863 OPS against left-handed pitching in the majors, but his declining performance and inability to handle righties will make it tough to earn a spot on a big-league roster.

First baseman Gaby Sanchez signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract to play in Japan for the 2015 season, reports ESPN.

Sanchez played for the Pirates in 2014 and hit .229 with seven home runs and 33 RBI. In 2015, he’ll play for the Rakuten Eagles of Japan's Pacific League.

The Pirates have declined to tender contracts to first baseman Gaby Sanchez and right-hander Chaz Roe, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Sanchez was designated for an assignment on Monday. He slashed .229/.293/.385 with seven home runs and 33 RBI over 290 at-bats. Roe only pitched two innings for Pittsburgh in 2014.

The Pirates have designated first baseman Gaby Sanchez for an assignment, following a deal Pittsburgh made to acquire second baseman Sean Rodriguez from the Rays, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Sanchez appeared in 123 games last season and slashed .229/.293/.385 with seven home runs and 33 RBI over 290 at-bats.

Pirates first baseman Gaby Sanchez made the best out of a rare start Friday night against the Reds, launching his seventh home run of the season in a 3-1 victory.

Sanchez took Mike Leake deep in the fifth inning for a solo home run. He finished 1 for 3 with a walk, run scored and an RBI. He is hitting .233 with seven homers and 33 RBI over 257 at-bats.

First baseman Gaby Sanchez didn't start Thursday for the Pirates, but he was pretty much their entire offense.

Sanchez arrived as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning in Detroit and promptly slugged a two-run homer that provided both of his team's runs. It was his first tater since May 15.

The Pirates will experiment with playing Pedro Alvarez at first base for the remainder of the season, manager Clint Hurdle told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Saturday.

Alvarez has been taking grounders at first base, and has agreed to the experiment. He could see time at third base as well, though Gaby Sanchez has also begun taking grounders at third to increase the team's overall versatility.

Alvarez has never appeared at first base in his major-league career, but is making the move to first after racking up a career-high 23 throwing errors in just 105 games. 

Despite the continued success of Josh Harrison, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said Sunday the team is not considering moving Pedro Alvarez to first base to clear up regular at-bats for Harrison at third base. Huntington added he likes the duo of Ike Davis and Gaby Sanchez at first base.

"Ike, the power hasn't been maybe what it was in the past, but he gives us quality, professional at-bats and has played solid defense for us there," Huntington said. "If we can get Pedro back on track to 30-something home runs, being a productive major league hitter and playing adequate defense at third, that's a pretty good tandem to have on the corners."

Huntington said Harrison will continue to fill a utility role for Pittsburgh.

"To play a 162-game season this year, in this environment, it's about depth," Huntington said.

"We're working through all different scenarios, but right now what we feel very comfortable with is Josh bouncing around giving everybody rest."

Pirates first baseman Gaby Sanchez had quite the performance off the bench during Monday's 5-3 comeback win against the Mets.

Sanchez cut the Pirates' deficit to one when he opened up the eighth inning with a pinch-hit home run off Scott Rice. Sanchez then gave Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead when he drove in Neil Walker with an RBI single in the ninth inning off Jose Valverde. Sanchez had two runs in the win.

Sanchez entered play Monday mired in a 7-for-31 slump in his previous 15 games (six starts) since a four-hit outing May 1 at Baltimore.

Tony Sanchez and Gaby Sanchez are not related - but they were related in a way Thursday. They both hit home runs to give the Pirates a lead in Milwaukee.

The former launched his first of the season - a two-run shot in the fifth to make it 2-1. The latter blasted a solo shot to lead off the sixth to break a 2-2 tie.

Pirates first baseman Gaby Sanchez put together a solid day Thursday, racking up five hits in a doubleheader against the Orioles.

Sanchez did much of his work in the second game of the doubleheader, after going 1 for 4 in the first. He racked up four hits in the second, going 4 for 6 with two doubles and one triple, while scoring one run and driving in one in the 6-5 loss.

Sanchez is now hitting .275/.327/.588 as a part-time player, with 51 at-bats in 21 games. 

Pirates first baseman Gaby Sanchez went 2 for 4 with two solo home runs in Monday's suspended game that ended in an 8-7 win over the Pirates Tuesday.

The home runs were the first of the season for Sanchez, who is 4 for 16 in limited action. Both of the right-handers home runs came off righties, and he could continue to see some action against right-handed pitchers moving forward.

Pirates first baseman Gaby Sanchez will not get the start Monday against the Cubs.

Sanchez will be replaced in the starting lineup by Travis Ishikawa, who will hit seventh. Sanchez was expected to see a fair share of playing time this season, but has always been utilized as part of a platoon. While manager Clint Hurdle said the two players wouldn't be part of a "platoon by definition," his first lineup suggests otherwise. 

Pirates first baseman Gaby Sanchez is expected to receive the bulk of the workload, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

The team had been rumored to be seeking a first baseman throughout most of the offseason, but decided to stand pat with Sanchez. Manager Clint Hurdle said Sanchez and Travis Ishikawa will see time at the position, but added that it won't be a "platoon by definition."

Sanchez has never been a strong hitter against righties, but believes that will change with more consistent playing time. "I definitely think that the more you play, like any one of us, the more comfortable you’re going to feel," Sanchez said. "The more in tune and rhythm you’re going to be."

Sanchez hit .254/.361/.402 in 264 at-bats last year.

Right knee soreness has Pirates first baseman Gaby Sanchez ruled out for the Saturday game against Tampa Bay. He is considered day-to-day.

Sanchez is seeking an opportunity to shed his platoon player tag and earn every-day consideration. But he has 14 home runs and 66 RBI in 563 at-bats in the last two seasons combined. Those are numbers far below what the Pirates would require from their starting first baseman.

With Garret Jones now with the Marlins, there's an opportunity for Gaby Sanchez to emerge with regular at-bats at first base for the Pirates. However, the Pirates are working outfielder Andrew Lambo at first base this spring, which means Sanchez could remain in a platoon role in 2014, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"If it turns out that we're back in that platoon, we're back in that platoon," Sanchez said. "I'll help the team do whatever I need to do. But of course my goal is to always be an everyday guy."

The problem for Sanchez is that he hasn't fared well against right-handed pitchers. In his career, he's a .242 hitter with a .387 slugging percentage against righties, while batting .300 with a .496 slugging percentage against lefties.

"He's a smart guy. He understood what he needed to do leaving and, as the winter's played out, the opportunity that's in front of him," manager Clint Hurdle said.

Pirates first baseman Gaby Sanchez is out to prove he's an everyday player, according to MLB.com.

The Pirates have been rumored to be looking for a potential platoon partner for Sanchez, but he doesn't believe one is necessary. "I know I can be an everyday guy," Sanchez said. "I'm definitely good enough to keep going out there as the everyday guy."

Sanchez acknowledged that he's struggled against right-handed hitters, but added that he rarely played against them, which made it hard to improve. Sanchez said he thinks he can improve with everyday at-bats.

Sanchez hit .254/.361/.402 in 264 at-bats last year.