Sanchez ban cut to 3 games, missing O’s
BALTIMORE — It could’ve been much worse.
But now that the dust has finally settled, Gary Sanchez will only need to miss the entire Orioles series despite sucker-punching both Miguel Cabrera and Nicholas Castellanos in the Yankees’ Aug. 24 base-brawl with the Tigers at Comerica Park.
A team spokesman told reporters that Sanchez’s suspension had been reduced from four games to three games, and it began on Monday at Camden Yards. The Bombers, who beat Baltimore 7-4, certainly lucked out given that Sanchez was able to play in the entire Red Sox series.
Sanchez issued a lengthy apology in a statement on his Instagram page.
“I want to apologize for my actions during the last Detroit Tigers series,” the statement read. “The heat of the moment and my desire to protect my teammates led me to commit some errors during the brawl. It’s an incident I regret and from which I have learned. I know to some these may be mere words, but they are words that I feel the need to express because I sincerely feel this way, and for respect to you, the fans, the Yankees organization, the Detroit Tigers and the game of Baseball. #ElGary”
Austin Romine caught Monday, going 0-for-2 with a walk, and will start the next two games behind the plate, at least. Romine was hit with a twogame suspension, but Joe Girardi had said repeatedly that he believed MLB would stagger the bans. There is also the possibility Romine’s suspension gets reduced as well. Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera (six games) and Alex Wilson (three games) both had their suspensions cut by one. The New York-Detroit game featured eight ejections and three separate benchclearing incidents. Asked if he regretted his actions, Sanchez said: “That’s something that happened. You can’t go back in time. It’s in the past.” The 24-yearold was informed of the league’s decision on Monday morning. He can practice with the team but must leave the ballpark once games begin while he’s suspended. “Obviously this is an important time for us, so we don’t want to miss him at all, but again, it’s better than four,” Girardi said. “Taking one game off could be really important for us. In a lot of instances, appeals don’t happen for a while because the players aren’t in town. In that sense we’re at somewhat of a disadvantage because we’re home every other week. I don’t think there’s ever a feeling that you luck out because we’re going to miss a very good player for three games.” Sanchez has an .870 OPS along with 28 homers and 79 RBIs in 103 games, proving to be an offensive force. But he’s also committed 14 passed balls and 12 errors behind the plate while throwing out 36 percent of potential base-stealers. Erik Kratz, the 37-year-old veteran who was acquired from Cleveland, will serve as Romine’s backup.