Struggling Crawford sits

KANSAS CITY — Brandon Crawford’s frustration lies in watching video and not identifying much difference between the start of the year, when he was raking, and now, when he is lurching through one of his worst career slumps.

Manager Bruce Bochy sat Crawford on Saturday night and might do so again Sunday, hoping he responds the way Michael Morse did after two days off. Morse went 5-for-11 in his next three games.

“He could use a break,” Bochy said. “I think sometimes in this game you start pressing, and you need to back them off. Craw could use a little rest.”

Crawford is 2-for-25 with 11 strikeouts since he started the trip with a three-hit night in New York, his average down to .229. He hopes this time off works like the All-Star break. In his first game back, Crawford had what he termed one of his best at-bats of the season, against Miami’s Nathan Eovaldi, and hit a home run.

“I’ve actually felt fine at the plate most nights,” Crawford said. “A few nights, I didn’t feel right. I’m just not squaring the ball up and I’m not finding hits when I do square the ball up.”

Crawford did notice one small flaw on video, coiling a bit too far with his back to the pitcher before his swing, thus lengthening his approach toward the ball. He planned to work on an adjustment in the cage before batting practice. Sanchez whacked again: Catcher Hector Sanchez, rebounding from a concussion, was being evaluated after taking another foul tip off the mask during a rehab game at Triple-A Fresno on Friday night. He left after three innings.

Bochy said the organization might compel Sanchez to abandon the hockey mask and use an older style.

“Sometimes you’ve got to do what’s right and make a change with the mask,” Bochy said. “It might take a while to get used to it. You can’t keep using the same mask if it’s not giving you a lot of protection.”