After another addition of the Gary Sanchez show in Seattle, the New York Yankees are clearly getting insane production from their rookie backstop.
There really is no word in the dictionary to describe just how destructive New York Yankees‘ catcher Gary Sanchez has been since his promotion on August 3.
Against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night, Sanchez went 3-for-4 with two homers and three RBIs, which gives him 15 RBIs in just 16 games since his latest – and likely last – promotion.
Sure, the bullpen blew a lead set by the kid and New York ended up dropping a winnable game by the score of 7-5, but “The Sanchize” made history in the process.
On the same day he became the first Yankees’ catcher to win the American League Player Of The Week Award since Thurman Munson won it back in 1976, Sanchez’s two home runs gave him eight in his first 19 career games which are good enough to set a new franchise record.
RECAP: #Yankees drop opener despite 2-HR nights from @ElGarySanchez & Starlin Castro. https://t.co/aY8cGbZsSihttps://t.co/Wt34ddbyvo
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 23, 2016
Just wait, it doesn’t stop there. Since August 10, no player in major league baseball has hit more home runs than the 23-year old slugger as his eight long balls are more than the likes of Mark Trumbo and Charlie Blackmon (both have seven).
It’s not just power as his overall slash line is .385/.429/.831 with an OPS of 1.259 while 52% of his 25 hits are extra-base hits (13). They aren’t bloopers, either.
In between Sanchez’s two dingers on Monday, he ripped a single to left field which flew off his bat with an exit velocity of 113.1 MPH, good enough for the second-hardest ball hit by a Yankees’ player in 2016, according to StatCast.
“It’s hard to explain,” Sanchez told the NY Post through a translator. “I’m just trying to put a good swing on the ball, and I’m getting good results.”
His stellar play has also become evident behind the dish as well.
Along with his superb game calling and quick reflexes on pitches in the dirt, Sanchez has thrown out five of the seven baserunners that have attempted to steal on him to tag along with his perfect fielding percentage.
With that, he his defensive runs saved above average through 11 games as the catcher is now at an unbelievable +38. In comparison, Brian McCann’s Rdrs sits at -2 this season.
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While the Yankees’ have their wheels stuck in the mud and appear incapable of sustaining a run, Sanchez has become a bright spot for a New York team that is depressingly in fourth place in the AL East and now five games out of the second AL Wild Card spot.
No, the season isn’t lost, but their 4.1% chance at making it to the postseason doesn’t scream “World Series contenders,” either.
This is also a reminder that while having a bunch of talented kids in their everyday lineup is exciting as anything, the Yankees are nevertheless a flawed team with not nearly enough quality pitching to sustain a legitimate run.
Nevertheless, what Sanchez represents at this moment in time is the foundation of the future, as the organization has their sights set on installing a new core for a new dynasty to do their best impression of the group that made it to the Fall Classic seven times in 14 years.
The Yankees also have a pair of 24-year-olds in the monster Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin, to create a solid trio of promising stars.
The point is, while the Baby Bombers aren’t sitting peacefully atop the American League standings and clear-cut favorites to win it all, the new group – led by Sanchez – serve to remind us all that the boys in the Bronx have nothing but a promising future.
After all, if records are being smashed during Sanchez’s first month in “The Show,” imagine what the rest of the kids have in store for us as their careers progress.