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TORONTO — Gary Sanchez sat next to Jose Fernandez signing autographs before the two played against each other in the 2012 South Atlantic League All-Star game when both young stars were in Class-A.

“He was a really good person,” Sanchez said through a translator before the Yankees beat the Blue Jays 7-5 Monday’s at Rogers Centre. “We talked for a little while, but I didn’t get a chance to know him that well since we weren’t on the same team.”

That season, though, the two met while Fernandez was with Greensboro and Sanchez was with Charleston.

Sanchez homered off Fernandez in a game on June 16.

“He was a tough pitcher,” said Sanchez, who was 0for-4 with two RBIs Monday. “It was very tragic to lose him. He meant a lot to all of us players.”

Masahiro Tanaka is scheduled to see team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad on Tuesday when the Yankees open their final homestand of the season.

He is out with a “slight” strained flexor mass in his right forearm, but the Yankees are still holding out hope he will be able to make one more start before the end of the season. The righthander hasn’t picked up a ball since being scratched last week, just receiving treatment since his last outing in which he gave up a career-high four homers, all in one inning.

“My hope is he’s able to make his next start and it’s not an issue,” manager Joe Girardi said, adding that Tanaka could throw a bullpen Wednesday or Thursday.

But if the Yankees are knocked out of postseason contention by the time Tanaka’s turn comes up again Saturday, it might make more sense to not pitch him at all.

Starlin Castro returned from his hamstring injury as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, when he flied out to the track in right.