Share
Sports

Yankees' star under fire for loafing sent to disabled list

Share

Gary Sanchez came under heavy fire from reporters for dogging it on his way to first base and costing the Yankees a chance to win against the Rays Monday night.

He was thrown out on a ground ball that, had he hustled up the line, he likely would have beaten out. Instead of driving in the tying run, Sanchez’s half-hearted effort was the final nail in the coffin of a 7-6 Yankees loss.

Well, it turns out Sanchez has an excuse, and it’s one that the Yankees should look upon with dread as they sit six games back of the Red Sox in the American League East.

The New York Post reports that Sanchez may actually be headed back to the disabled list after aggravating a groin injury he suffered earlier in the season.

Trending:
Federal Judge Has Bad News for Hunter Biden, Says There's Zero Evidence His Charges Are Politically Motivated

If this is the case, the Yankees will be down a man who, loafing issue aside, was a 2017 All-Star, had a 1.032 OPS as a rookie in 2016, and looked to be the best catcher to come down the pipeline for New York since at least Jorge Posada and possibly all the way back to Thurman Munson.

Sanchez has instead had a nightmare season this year, with a paltry .188 batting average, a .699 OPS, a mere 0.5 wins above replacement, and 32 missed games due to injury.

“I had mentioned it after the game that I felt a little tight and then this morning I told the trainer,” Sanchez said Tuesday. “That’s when I did the MRI and it showed an injury.”

Sanchez, to his credit, emphasized that he wasn’t making excuses for costing his team a game with lack of effort.

Should the Yankees bench Sanchez once he comes off the DL?

“An injury is never an excuse,” said Sanchez. “If I’m on the field, I’m good to play. My answer is the same [as Monday]. I could have done a better job. The answer doesn’t change.”

Sanchez also claims that he wasn’t rushed back from injury; he made clear that he felt good about the timetable on his return from the DL.

In regards to how he felt about being seen as the scapegoat for Monday’s loss, Sanchez said “When the other team scores runs, and when you have the game on the line and basically you end up losing the game because it’s your fault, you feel really bad about that.”

The Yankees’ injury list has looked like a MASH unit this season, with their veteran players dropping left and right.

Only three players — shortstop Didi Gregorious, right fielder Aaron Judge, and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton — have played in more than 90 of the Yankees’ 98 games so far.

Related:
Devout Christian and MLB Legend Darryl Strawberry Hospitalized After Medical Emergency, Still Glorifies God

The pitching staff has held up a bit better, but that’s faint comfort as three of the Yankees’ top five starters have ERAs over 4.50 and with Jordan Montgomery on the disabled list, his replacement Domingo German has posted a wretched 5.68.

With Sanchez out, Austin Romine inherits the starting job behind the plate. His .270 average and .815 OPS are actually better than the star he replaces.

The good news is the Yankees have a relatively soft schedule this weekend, with the Royals and their 30-69 record coming to Yankee Stadium starting on Thursday.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
,
Share
Boston born and raised, Fox has been writing about sports since 2011. He covered ESPN Friday Night Fights shows for The Boxing Tribune before shifting focus and launching Pace and Space, the home of "Smart NBA Talk for Smart NBA Fans", in 2015. He can often be found advocating for various NBA teams to pack up and move to his adopted hometown of Seattle.
Boston born and raised, Fox has been writing about sports since 2011. He covered ESPN Friday Night Fights shows for The Boxing Tribune before shifting focus and launching Pace and Space, the home of "Smart NBA Talk for Smart NBA Fans", in 2015. He can often be found advocating for various NBA teams to pack up and move to his adopted hometown of Seattle.
Birthplace
Boston, Massachusetts
Education
Bachelor of Science in Accounting from University of Nevada-Reno
Location
Seattle, Washington
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Sports




Conversation