CATCHING HEAT
McCann shoes he can still go on tear
Sure, Brian McCann has a swing that is ideally suited for Yankee Stadium.
It is why the Yankees signed him to a five-year, $85 million deal in 2014.
But the Yankees didn’t plan on the lefty-swinging catcher to have more homers in The Bronx by the middle of May than Gary Sanchez.
Still, that is where things stand as the Yankees and Astros head into Sunday’s doubleheader, courtesy of McCann’s three-run blast off Jordan Montgomery in Houston’s win Friday.
McCann also made his presence felt in Thursday’s dramatic victory, making a nifty tag to get Jacoby Ellsbury at home on Jake Marisnick’s throw from left field as the Yankees tried to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.
If McCann is taking any pleasure in taking it to his former team, he isn’t saying it.
“It’s good to get a couple of wins against another good team, just because I contributed,” McCann said. “But there’s nothing more to it than that.”
Sanchez’s emergence in the final two months of last season cost McCann his starting job and got him traded to Houston in November for a pair of pitching prospects.
Since then, McCann has played a significant part in Houston’s fast start to the season, with an OPS of .860.
Sanchez missed close to a month with a strained biceps and was sidelined as the Yankees surprised most of the majors by getting to the top of the AL East.
Now that he is healthy, Sanchez still is looking to find some consistency — both at the plate and behind it.
He has hit two homers in 53 plate appearances, both away from home, and he has thrown out just 20 percent of potential basestealers, compared to 41 percent last season. But Sanchez has been more productive since his return from the biceps injury, going 8-for-22 in his past six games — though he struck out three times in Friday’s loss.
McCann saw enough from Sanchez last year that he isn’t concerned.
“Injuries happen,” McCann said. “And from what I was able to watch of him last year, I know he’s the real deal. I wouldn’t be worried about a couple of months here. Trust me, our situation worked out for everyone. I’m in a good spot here and he’s gonna be an All-Star for years to come.”