Salvaging His Season?

Gary Sanchez's first 29 games this season produced unacceptable results. Along with his usual problems handling pitchers in the dirt, the Yankee catcher was batting .130 -- low enough that it would take a scorching week just to reach the Mendoza Line -- with just 10 hits in 77 at bats. Maybe it reached a low point Saturday, when with a runner on 3rd and in the last of the 9th inning, manager Aaron Boone stuck with 40-year old backup Erik Kratz -- a move that paid off when the backup catcher squared to bunt and Mets reliever Dellin Betances fired a walk pitch allowing the winning run to score.

Sunday, Sanchez got his chance. In the nightcap of a Yankee Stadium doubleheader (a makeup for a postponed Citi Field game), it was Kratz's turn to hit when the Yankees loaded the bases in the top of 8th. But this time, Boone rolled the dice with Sanchez, who turned a Drew Smith's fastball into 453 feet of home run -- and history: it was the first extra innings pinch hit grand slam in 121 years of Yankee history. And it gave them the lead for keeps. While the Mets shaved a run off the lead in the bottom half, the Yankees had their win. And Sanchez might have had the moment enabling him to salvage his season.

Four weeks left in the 60-game sprint and the Rays open their last visit to the Bronx tonight. Let's see if Gary Sanchez can build off Sunday's big blast.

 

Comments

witch hunt destroyer said…
Not likely as he just goes back into the funk he had been in. A hit every once in a while is just a hit every once in a while even if it is a dinger. Should have kept the other guy and traded Sanchez. He is a loser.
September 2, 2020 at 10:08 PM
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