ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Before Gary Sanchez informed the Yankees he felt tightness in the right groin area late Monday night, the catcher entered Aaron Boone’s Tropicana Field office and initiated a chat the manager planned on having after watching video of two plays where Sanchez failed to put forth maximum effort and contributed to a loss to the Rays.
“It was something that needed to be better, period, especially at that time of the game,’’ Boone said of Sanchez not running hard to first base in the ninth inning on a play that would have tied the game if he were safe, but instead was the final out of a 7-6 loss.
Sanchez also cost the Yankees a run when he didn’t run hard after a passed ball in the first inning, when Jake Bauers scored from second. “At that point in the game you’ve got to make sure you get out of the box and get after it,” Boone said. “Obviously, that’s a game-on-the-line situation. So, my first reaction to that was that needed to be better.’’
On the way out of Boone’s office, Sanchez mentioned that he felt tightness in the area that was strained on June 24 and landed him on the DL from June 25 to July 19 (20 games). He played in three games since coming off the shelf and went 2-for-14 (.143) while hiking his passed ball total to 10 Monday night to tie him for the MLB lead. Sanchez also has failed to handle 35 wild pitches, which is third among all catchers.
Boone said any disciplinary action would stay between Sanchez and the manager.
Following the two displays of unacceptable effort, Sanchez said he was healthy and the tightness he felt comes with being a big league catcher. However, when he woke up Tuesday, the tightness was enough for him to alert the medical staff.
An MRI discovered the same strain in the same spot and landed the 25-year-old Sanchez on the DL for the third time in two big league seasons and resulted in Kyle Higashioka being summoned from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to back up Austin Romine.
Sanchez said he felt the groin grab when going after the passed ball, but the area being tight wasn’t new.
“Being tight in a certain part of your body, I’m used to that. It has happened before where you have aches in different parts of your body. You just get through them. You keep playing and eventually they go away,’’ Sanchez said. “I had mentioned it after the game that I felt a little tight and then this morning I told the trainer. I thought I was going to be able to get through it without a problem. I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal at all. That’s why I didn’t say anything.
To his credit, Sanchez didn’t use the strained groin as an excuse for his lack of hustle.
“An injury is never an excuse. If I’m on the field, I’m good to play. My answer is the same [as Monday] I could have done a better job,’’ Sanchez said.
Sanchez, who caught in two of the three games back from the DL, explained he didn’t return too soon.
“I don’t think so. I did all the work that I was supposed to do with the trainers, and I felt good to play. That’s why I was on the field playing,’’ Sanchez said.
Sanchez pointed to the physical abuse catchers absorb as the reason he said following the game he was OK.
While Sanchez admitted there is no timeline for him to return to a lineup he hasn’t consistently helped this year, the strain he believes is less severe than the original.
“This time around, I would say it hurts less. It feels just tight. Compared to last time, when it bothered me more,’’ said Sanchez, who is hitting a disappointing .188 with 14 homers and 42 RBIs in 66 games.
Did Sanchez let his teammates down by not saying he felt the groin grab in the first inning?
“When you have the game on the line and basically you end up losing the game because it’s your fault, you feel really bad about that. You feel bad for your teammates. You feel bad for the fans because you want to give them the maximum effort,’’ Sanchez said. “You have a responsibility as a player. When you don’t give them the best you can, of course you’re going to feel that you’re letting them down.’’
