Joe Girardi has been impressed with Gary Sanchez’ defense after publicly saying the catcher needed to improve earlier this month after he was charged with a passed ball and failed to block two wild pitches during a game in Cleveland.
“I think it has been pretty good and playing really well,’’ Girardi said of Sanchez, who worked on blocking balls last weekend after getting called out by the manager. “He will be back in there catching [Monday].’’
Girardi paired Austin Romine with rookie Jordan Montgomery on Sunday night against the Red Sox. It was the 14th time the pair worked together and Romine has caught 11 of Montgomery’s past 12 starts.
Sanchez was at the DH spot against Red Sox ace Chris Sale and went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 3-2, 10-inning loss. He later went behind the plate after Romine was pinch hit for.
“I am trying to keep his bat in the lineup as much as I can,’’ Girardi said. “We are in a stretch of 13 games and it’s realistic he could be in 12 or 13 of them. This [DH] is a way to kind of rest him and not get him beat up.’’
If the Yankees have any chance of catching the Red Sox in the AL East race they need more productive bats than what has been in the lineup recently.
Getting Greg Bird and Starlin Castro back from the disabled list could cure the hitting ills and they are scheduled to take a step closer to that happening this week.
“Our plan is Bird, Wednesday he will play somewhere, and Castro will be Friday,’’ Girardi said. “Bird will work out Tuesday for us and then go. Castro will work out Thursday with us and then go.’’
Castro, who has been on the DL twice with a right hamstring problem, is looking forward to getting into games.
“I am feeling really good. I ran the bases [Sunday] and felt strong. I don’t feel anything in there,’’ said Castro, who hasn’t played since July 21 and was on pace to finish with close to 200 hits (92 in 79 games) when shelved. “I am looking forward to coming back strong and not going back to the DL again.’’
Castro’s return would free Ronald Torreyes to return to the utility role he does so well.
Bird hasn’t played since May 1 due to a right ankle injury that required surgery July 18. With Chase Headley playing well at first base, he could remain at first and Birsd could shift to the DH spot.
CC Sabathia will test his right knee Monday in a bullpen session for the first time since leaving a game in Toronto on Tuesday.
“It feels better every day, a lot better,’’ Sabathia said. “It has felt good playing catch and I am ready to test it [Monday].’’
Sabathia is eligible to come off the DL on Saturday when the Yankees are in Boston.
Out since Aug. 4 with a lower left lumbar injury Matt Holliday took batting practice on the field before the game.
Lefty Caleb Smith was summoned from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday night to provide bullpen depth but wasn’t needed. Luis Cessa will be promoted from SWB to take Masahiro Tanaka’s place against the Mets on Monday night at Yankee Stadium. Tanaka went on the DL Saturday with inflammation in the right shoulder.
Cessa has been up and down between the majors and minors this year. He is 0-3 with a 4.83 ERA in nine games (four starts) with the Yankees.
The crowd of 46,610 was the Yankees’ third straight sellout and 10th in 54 home games this year.
