Sanchez back to lineup and back in shape
In the past several days, Aaron Boone has talked more about Gary Sanchez’s improved conditioning than the lethal right-handed bat the Yankees hope the catcher brings with him when he comes off the disabled list Saturday.
“I think he is in a really good place right now physically,’’ the Yankees manager said of Sanchez, who was at the Stadium on Friday night after completing a four-game minor league rehab assignment Thursday evening.
Sanchez will be activated for Saturday’s game against the Tigers. He will be the starting catcher and work with Masahiro Tanaka.
“Conditioning-wise he came out of his rehab assignment well,” Boone said. “All the reports are that he is catching really well, so really excited to get him back in the lineup [Saturday].’’
That Boone has spoken to Sanchez’s improved condition since going on the DL for the second time this season with a right groin strain on July 24 is a strong indication the 25-year-old didn’t get himself in as good shape when he went on the shelf for the first time on June 25. He was activated on July 19, played three games and returned to the DL one day after not hustling after a passed ball and not running hard out of the batter’s box on a ground ball that turned into the game-ending out in a 7-6 road loss to the Rays. Had Sanchez run harder to first, he would have been safe and Aaron Judge would have scored the tying run.
“I give him all the credit for it,’’ Boone said of Sanchez’s current conditioning. “He has really gotten after it since he went [on the DL]. He looks really good. Getting the reports defensively, how well he is moving be- hind the plate, I think he is excited about where he is at from a conditioning standpoint. I think it will be something of a priority for him.’’
Sanchez said the workload during the second DL stint was more intense.
“We had a really good pace going this time around. I ran more, I trained more on my defense, I played more games down there,” Sanchez said. “It was just making sure everything was OK and going at a good pace. The trainers had a good plan in place and following that and going through every step.”
Even if Sanchez improves behind the plate, he is never going to be considered anything more than a goodhitting catcher first. So that .188 average Sanchez brings back from the DL is something Boone expects to increase.
“I think we are potentially getting a front-line player,’’ Boone said of Sanchez, who has 14 homers and 42 RBIs in 66 games. “If he gets going right, he has the ability to carry you. I think that is absolutely in there.’’
Despite solid work from Austin Romine in Sanchez’s absence, Boone is committed to Sanchez being the No. 1 catcher and expects him to handle the workload.
“That’s fine. At the end of the day, I’m a catcher, so that’s part of my responsibility,” said Sanchez, who has allowed 10 passed balls and has been involved in 35 wild pitches in 55 games. “I’m looking forward to it.”