MINNEAPOLIS — On June 21, Gary Sanchez was hitting .274 with 23 homers, 52 RBIs, a .982 OPS and headed for the All-Star Game.
Sanchez entered Monday night’s game against the Twins at Target Field batting .237 with 24 homers and 58 RBIs to go with an .834 OPS thanks to a 10-for-75 (.133) slide across 19 games (18 starts) in which he hit one homer, drove in six runs and posted a .417 OPS.
And no matter how many times Aaron Boone is asked about Sanchez’s elongated slide the answer remains the same and doesn’t include health. Sanchez suffered a left thumb injury on June 30 against the Red Sox in London and was removed from that game after the eighth inning despite the Yankees holding a 12-8 lead.
“I feel he is getting his ‘A’ swing off a lot. He gets a pitch [to hit] he is fouling that pitch off,’’ said Boone, who batted Sanchez fourth against Twins lefty Martin Perez. “He is expanding the strike zone right now and that could be the result of him chasing [pitches]. I have talked to him about making sure he is focused and making sure he is having good at-bats. Gary’s talent and swing will lead to success. I don’t think he is that far off.’’
Despite the deep freeze Sanchez started Monday night tied for fifth in the American League in home runs (24) with the Twins’ Max Kepler.
With Adam Ottavino working in three of the previous four games the Yankees likely didn’t have plans to use the right-hander Monday night when they opened a three-game series against the Twins at Target Field.
Since lefty Stephen Tarpley threw 30 pitches in 1 ¹/₃ innings on Sunday in an 8-4 loss to the Rockies at home, he was sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following that game and right-hander Jonathan Holder was recalled. Tarpley also threw 49 pitches on Friday.
Holder was on the Opening Day roster but after 31 games and a 6.81 ERA to go with 40 hits and 11 walks in 35 ²/₃ innings he was sent to SWB on June 24. In seven Triple-A games, Holder posted a 3.48 ERA in 10 ¹/₃ innings.
In Tarpley’s last two big-league outings he worked 4 ¹/₃ innings, allowing an unearned run and fanned seven.
When Holder was sent out June 24 he looked shaken standing in front of his locker after giving up five runs and five hits (two homers) and not registering an out in a 10-8
Yankees win over the Blue Jays.
“That was a tough night. It passed and I am ready to move forward,’’ said Holder, who explained a few bullpen sessions at SWB helped his fastball command improve.
Dellin Betances will take a small step forward Tuesday when he plays catch from 75 feet for the first time since he began a rehab program.
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The post Yankees aren’t budging on what’s ailing Gary Sanchez appeared first on Fox USA Live.
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