Sanchez eager to prove the deserves to be No. 1 catcher

TAMPA, Fla. — Gary Sanchez does not see himself as a backup catcher, someone who plays just two or three times a week. The Yankees’ embattled backstop is coming off the worst year of his career that included being benched during the playoffs.

Still, he doesn’t come into spring training feeling the pressure to win back the job that Kyle Higashioka took from him.

“That’s something I can’t do. I can’t name myself the starting catcher,” Sanchez said through Yankees interpreter Marlon Abreu Saturday afternoon. “But what I can tell you is that I do want to be playing every day. I don’t see myself just playing two times a week. I feel I would like to have the opportunity to play every day.”

And the 28-year-old Sanchez began working to prove he deserves to be the Yankees starting catcher last fall. He spent the weeks after the season working with the hitting coaches Marcus Thames and P.J. Pilittere on his batting stance. He then tried to put the changes into effect by playing winter ball in his native Dominican Republic.

So he doesn’t view spring training as an audition to save his job.

“The reason why I say that is to focus on my job to focus on the work that I need to do. I want to go out there and have fun and enjoy playing this game. Right now everybody has a zero batting average. It’s a new start. A fresh start for everyone, including myself,” Sanchez said after pitchers and catcher worked out for the third day on Saturday. “I can’t start thinking about those results of last year. I want to focus on my work. I want to go out there, play the game, have fun playing the game and concentrate on my game.”

That game is trying to rebound from a disastrous 2020, particularly at the plate.

He slashed .147/.253/.365 with 64 strikeouts in 156 at-bats.