Gary Sanchez continued to show improvements at the plate on Tuesday night, blasting his third home run in five games while recording his fourth multi-hit game in his last six contests.
The Yankees, in desperate need of consistent offense, are starting to finally see a version of Sanchez with a much stronger resemblance to his 2019 self, before he fell deep into a prolonged slump that led to questions about his future with the franchise.
“I just think his work has been excellent,” Aaron Boone said. “He was out again early hitting off the high velo machine on the field for early work today, and I think some of the adjustments he’s made with his lower half a little more quiet, it’s just put him in the fight on more pitches. He’s done a better job all year on swing decisions and laying off some pitches out of the zone, doing a better job of that. But I feel like now, over the last few weeks, he’s getting on time with some more pitches where he’s putting the ball in play with authority.”
That extra work has clearly been paying off. In his last 15 games, Sanchez is batting .333 with a 1.040 OPS, and four of his nine home runs this season have come in that span.
“I think it has to do with being better, swinging and connecting on pitches in my zone,” Sanchez said through his interpreter after Tuesday’s victory. “I’ve said before how much I’ve worked with the hitting coaches to make that adjustment, and I definitely feel more consistent at the plate. I just want to keep producing and help the team win ballgames.”
Sanchez has done exactly that over the last three weeks, and since May 27, has raised his OPS by nearly 150 points, and his batting average from .174 to .225. After Kyle Higashioka began to eat into Sanchez’s playing time, the questions that began after his brutal 2020 season resurfaced, as to what exactly Sanchez’s role is with the Yanks. Now, the former All-Star is swinging one of the hottest bats in the Yankee lineup, and the Bombers will need him if they plan on climbing out of fourth place in the AL East.
“It’s really good to see, but it’s attributed to the adjustments he’s been willing to make and the work that he’s put in each and every day,” Boone said.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
