Sanchez looking good so far

TAMPA — Gary Sanchez was back on the field taking batting practice Monday, after a scheduled day off Sunday. The catcher is coming off surgery on his left shoulder this winter and the Yankees are “slow-playing” him into spring training.

After watching Sanchez and backup catcher Austin Romine hit on George M. Steinbrenner Field, Aaron Boone said his starting backstop looks healthy.

“He looked good. We've talked about how physically he's in a really good place coming off the shoulder surgery, he had a good winter. But they had a pretty heavy workload behind the scenes today, too,” the Yankee manager said of the catchers working on their blocking and receiving skills. “I was checking with him and Ro making sure they were OK. You start getting tired out there in the heat, blocking balls and I was just making sure that guys really turn it on mentally (and) keep their mechanics.”

Sanchez is looking for a rebound season after hitting just .186 with a .406 slugging percentage last season.

THE TULO OF OLD?

It was a low-risk gamble to sign Troy Tulowitzki as a fill-in for Didi Gregorius, who will likely be out until at least June after Tommy John surgery. Tulowitzki is still being paid on the five-year, $100 million deal he signed with the Rockies after being released by the Blue Jays in December and the Yankees are responsible for just the major-league minimum.

But can the 34year-old come back strong from missing all of 2018 after double heel surgery? Tulowitzki played just 66 games in 2017 and hit just .249/.300/ .378 with seven home runs and 26 RBI.

“We're really excited about the way he looks out there, he looks like Troy Tulowitzki,” Boone said. “Those were the reports. When we watched the videos of some of the footage we got to see from those workouts (this winter). He looked the part. Now, seeing him here, I know he's been working out every day and getting his work in, but it's good to see him out here.”