Aaron Boone told reporters on Thursday night that Clay Holmes’ wild pitch to allow the tying run to score in a frustrating loss to the Orioles was one that Gary Sanchez should have kept in front of him.
Talking with Carton and Roberts on Friday, Boone reiterated that it was likely a pitch, the second wild pitch of the inning by Holmes, that Sanchez should have stopped. Instead it forced extra innings and led to an eventual loss to the lowly Orioles, causing the Yanks to lose crucial ground in the Wild Card race.
“Looking back, the first one is tough because it’s a slider that’s on the other side of the plate that kind of slipped out,” Boone said. “The second one, yeah, it’s a tough play because you’re expecting a 96 mph sinker down in the zone and he kind of yanks it, but it’s a ball you gotta be in position to glove. I think he was a little late in reacting to it and a little late in making his move, and it cost us there.
“I think part of it was conditions-related. It was a pretty wet, sloppy night…but plays we gotta have.”
For Sanchez, it was the latest in a recent run of questionable defensive performances, though the pitch from Holmes was 98 mph up and away on a pitch that Sanchez was setting up down and in. But after this past weekend’s weak tag attempt on Jonathan Villar in a loss to the Mets, Sanchez’s performance behind the plate is once again under the microscope.
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“I feel like Gary is in a good mental space,” Boone said. “His work’s been good, and often times he’s kind of a lightning rod. You have the tag play in the Mets series and then last night, that unfortunately becomes the driving conversation of what’s been some really good play over the last couple months. We try not to lose sight of that.”
Sanchez wasn’t in the starting lineup on Friday night, but Boone said it was not a result of Thursday’s performance, rather a routine night off with a day game up next on Saturday.
“With the day game tomorrow, they were gonna split the next two games anyway, and Cole is going Sunday, so it made sense to kind of every-other-day him right now,” Boone said.
Another Yankee that has struggled defensively has been Gleyber Torres, who moved over to second base after continued fielding troubles at shortstop. But like Sanchez, Boone said he will be a crucial aspect of the Yankees’ starting lineup if the Bombers are to lock up a playoff berth.
“We just gotta get him going,” Boone said. “I think it was one of those weeks where you get into a little bit of a funk out there and you start playing not to make mistakes. We gotta get through that with him.
“He’s had a couple important at-bats, he’s made a couple important plays, but we have to get there with him if we want to be our best.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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