Sanchez gets plunked on return behind the plate
TORONTO — After being the designated hitter Saturday and sitting Sunday in Cleveland, Gary Sanchez returned to the Yankees’ lineup Tuesday night behind the plate.
Eight innings later, he was hit on the left wrist by a 95mph pitch from Blue Jays right-hander Ryan Tepera in a 4-2 loss at Rogers Centre.
“On the outside of the hand,’’ Sanchez said when asked where the ball struck him. “But it is fine.’’
Sanchez remained in the game and had an ice pack and compression wrap on the hand after going hitless in two at-bats (though with one walk) to stretch his slump to 1-for-12.
As for his catching, Sanchez said he was quicker getting to balls in the dirt than he had been.
“I was focused on being quicker and blocking balls,’’ Sanchez said.
A brutal defensive performance Friday night, when Sanchez was charged with his 12th passed ball of the season and failed to block two wild pitches led to Joe Girardi telling the catcher he had to improve his defense.
Sanchez worked Saturday and Sunday in the bullpen on blocking balls with former catchers Tony Pena and Girardi, but the manager wasn’t assuming that work would carry over to game action.
“We are trying, but taking it from [the bullpen] to [the game] is maybe different,’’ Girardi said of Sanchez.
According to a person who saw Aaron Hicks play for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this past weekend and for Double-A Trenton at Hartford on Tuesday night, the switch-hitting outfielder hasn’t shown any signs his strained right oblique is affecting his play.
“Perfectly healthy,’’ was the way the person described Hicks, who has been on the disabled list since June 26. “Good plate discipline during games.’’
Starlin Castro and Greg Bird took batting practice on the Rogers Centre field in the afternoon, then participated in fielding drills.
It was the first time they had moved from the indoor cage to the field and worked out at their positions. Such activity can be viewed as a step toward coming off the DL.
Castro has been out since July 22 with a strained right hamstring and his bat has been missed. Bird hasn’t played since May 1 and had right ankle surgery on July 18.
Encouraged by the workout and the progress he has made, Bird has his eyes on starting a minor league rehab assignment after the Yankees complete a homestand Aug. 15 against the Mets.
Girardi said the Yankees were concerned that if Jordan Montgomery surpasses 180 innings it might lead to future problems, and that played into the decision to send the rookie lefty to Triple-A on Sunday.
“We are going to shorten some outings down there just to cut back a little bit,’’ Girardi said. “We do have somewhat of a concern that if he got over 180 innings where he would be. There was no innings set, but the innings are always more stressful here.’’
Montgomery could be recalled if CC Sabathia lands on the DL. Otherwise, Girardi said, the lefty will be an option to return when roster expand Sept. 1.