'Family for me is everything': WooSox infielder Yolmer Sanchez knows what's important to him

WORCESTER — WooSox infielder Yolmer Sanchez recently struck out in a big situation, but his disappointment was quickly erased by a voice from the stands at Polar Park.

“I just heard, ‘Hey, dad, I love you,' ” Sanchez said of his 7-year-old son, Noah. “For me, that’s all that matters. I’m just trying to do good in every aspect of my life for them.”

Sanchez, a veteran of 658 Major League Baseball games with the Chicago White Sox, signed with the Red Sox as a minor league free agent last February. He believes the Red Sox organization is a perfect spot for him, and he’s thankful his family has been by his side this entire season in Worcester.

Sanchez’s wife, Moralis, along with Noah, and 3-year-old, Alan, sit behind the WooSox dugout every game.

“They don’t miss a game,” Sanchez said with a smile. “Family for me is everything. I just try to be a better person, a better father, a better husband and be a good example.”

Noah loves baseball, according to his father. They play catch every day before Sanchez needs to leave to come to the ballpark for work. In fact, Sanchez is looking for a local youth organization to register his son for the upcoming season.

It’s becoming a like-father-like-son scenario in the Sanchez household.

“He’ll ask, ‘Dad, when can you take me to the ballpark, so I can be like you?’ ” Sanchez said.

Sanchez began playing baseball when he was 3 years old.

“Baseball has been my whole life,” he said. “My momma always told me I just wanted to play baseball. I never played with toys, cars or anything else, it was just baseball. I would throw the baseball against the wall in the house.”

Sanchez recalls if he acted up in school, or did something around the house to get in trouble, his mother would always take baseball away from him.

“I remembered I would cry a lot, because that’s all I wanted to do,” he said. “I love baseball, and it’s my passion.”

However, when he first became a dad, Sanchez admits he didn’t want his son to follow in his spike marks.

“When we had our first boy, I told my wife, ‘This is a beautiful sport, but it’s really hard to make it.’ So I don’t want him to play baseball. But since he was 1, he’s always grabbed a bat and baseball. It’s not what I wanted, it’s what he wants, and whenever he wants, I’ll be there to support him.”

Moralis has always been a big supporter of her husband’s career. In fact, she is also his biggest critic. Sanchez, 29, has been married to his wife for nine years and describes her as the best decision he’s made in his life.

“She’s my hitting coach and my defensive coach,” Sanchez said with a smile. “She’ll always ask, ‘Why did you swing at that pitch?’ or ‘Why did you do that?’ It’s funny, but I know she wants the best for me. They’re support means everything to me. I just want to be the best for them.”

Outside the ballpark, and away from the game, the Sanchez family has found Worcester to be a home away from home. When Sanchez played for the White Sox (2014-20), he lived in downtown Chicago. During the offseason, they live in Litchfield Park, Arizona, but the Heart of the Commonwealth has been welcoming for the Sanchez family.

“They love it here,” he said. “We’ve made friends here already to help us out. So far everybody I’ve met here is a great person. They’ve made it feel like home, make you feel like you’ve been here a long time. This city is great. It’s a big city, but it’s a family city for me. It’s been good.”

On the baseball side, the ultimate goal is obviously to return to the big leagues and play for the Red Sox, but he’s been happy with everything in Worcester. Sanchez understands the player amenities are state-of-the-art at Polar Park, and he’s only a step away from Fenway Park.

“I just try to enjoy the moment, but my goal is to get back to the big leagues,” he said. “I’m here, and I’m going to enjoy it. I love being here with my teammates. We have a great group, so it makes it easy to work here. I come here every day and work hard.”

Sanchez won the American League Gold Glove Award for a second baseman while with the White Sox in 2019, and he continues to wow the sellout crowds with his defense at Polar Park. If he happens to make an error, or swing and miss, his family is always here to boost his morale.

Contact Joe McDonald at JMcDonald2@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeyMacHockey

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Family comes first for WooSox infielder Yolmer Sanchez