Yankees Place Gary Sanchez On Injured List

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By WFAN.com

The Yankees cannot catch a break.

As if the team's injury situation was not bad enough already, New York has now placed catcher Gary Sanchez on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain.

Kyle Higashioka has been recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Sanchez's spot on the roster.

Sanchez had not caught since Monday, with what the team was calling "tightness in his lower legs" after he was hit in the groin while behind the plate. He did pinch-hit Wednesday, striking out in his only plate appearance.

The catcher had been enjoying a strong start to the season, hitting .268/.333/.732 with six home runs and 11 RBIs in 41 at-bats.

Sanchez becomes the 12th player to hit the Yankees' IL. He joins infielder Troy Tulowitzki (calf), Didi Gregorius (elbow) and Miguel Andujar (shoulder), outfielders Giancarlo Stanton (biceps), Aaron Hicks (back) and Jacoby Ellsbury (hip), and pitchers Luis Severino (shoulder), CC Sabathia (heart), Jordan Montgomery (elbow), Dellin Betances (shoulder) and Ben Heller (elbow). 

Higashioka hasn't done much in Triple-A thus far, picking up just four hits in 18 at-bats over five games. He will serve as the team's backup catcher while Sanchez is out, with Austin Romine taking over as the team's primary catcher.

Romine has three hits with one home run and two RBIs in 15 at-bats this season.

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