Gary set for return at Wrigley
GARY Sanchez remains on track to rejoin the Yankees this weekend at Wrigley Field. Sanchez, who hasn’t played since April 8 because of a muscle strain in his upper right arm, caught Wednesday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and went 1-for-4 with a single in his second rehab game.
He’s slated to start as the designated hitter Thursday. First pitch is at 10:35 a.m.
“We have not changed the plan,” Joe Girardi said Wednesday before the Yankees’ 8-6 win over the Blue Jays at the Stadium. “Pretty quick turnaround (on Thursday), and then we will evaluate, and there’s a good chance he’ll be in Chicago.”
Sanchez’s possible return comes at an important time for the Bombers, considering backup Austin Romine left Tuesday night’s win over Toronto after the sixth inning because of cramping in his groin. Romine has hit .316 with two home runs and 10 RBI while filling in for Sanchez over the past month.
Romine was out of the lineup for Wednesday’s series finale but was available in an emergency situation. Romine said after the game he should be over the ailment by Friday. He did not undergo any tests on the groin.
Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was also absent from Wednesday’s lineup, sitting for the second straight day after bruising a nerve in his elbow Monday night.
A disabled-list stint could be in Ellsbury’s future, especially with the Yankees departing for a National League road trip this weekend — starting with a three-game set at the Cubs, followed by two games at the Reds in Cincinnati. With no DH, Joe Girardi will be forced to use additional bench players.
Girardi said Wednesday the team will make a call on Ellsbury before leaving New York. The Yankees have an off-day Thursday.
GARBAGE CALL ON GARDY
Brett Gardner was not pleased with a called third strike in the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday, and he took out his anger on an innocent recycling bin in the Yankees dugout. Gardner smashed the blue container several times with his bat in an epic tantrum. The Yankees were trailing the Blue Jays 6-5 at the time.
Gardner joked about the incident after the win.
“I was a little frustrated,” Gardner said. “They’ll probably fine me 15 or 20 bucks and we’ll get a new one next home stand.”
Girardi also took issue with home-plate umpire Bill Welke’s strike zone. After a called strike to Starlin Castro to lead off the seventh, Girardi barked at Welke and was subsequently tossed from the game.
“It started in the sixth inning with Gardy. And there were four pitches that I felt weren’t strikes. And it’s an important time,” Girardi said. “We’re down a run. A couple strike ones and a couple strike threes. And you’re at the top of your order, and it’s kind of frustrating.”