Since his arrival in the major leagues in 2015, New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has been the subject of a great deal of discussion, criticism and occasional outrage among Yankee fans and media. From his mental mistakes behind the plate and the seeming inability to crack the team’s starting lineup to his persistent injuries and lack of production on offense, Gary Sanchez has been the center of endless negative chatter across the baseball world. So why all the dismay for Gary Sanchez?
The Good
It’s not all been bad for Gary Sanchez since he arrived in the majors, however. In fact, Sanchez’s journey in the Yankees organization has offered plenty of light to balance the dark. Most notably, Sanchez was brilliant in his first season in New York in 2016, catching the best pitcher in baseball, Masahiro Tanaka, and helping the team run to the American League Wild Card game. His 20 home runs in 120 games played were the most homers ever by a rookie catcher. He also provided a defensive menace with an impressive 46% caught-stealing rate.
The Bad
Just as quickly as Sanchez impressed with his performance during his rookie year, he has since overly disappointed many fans and media with his tendency for mental errors and lack of urgency. From dropped balls to botched double plays, Sanchez has been a far cry from the player we saw in 2016. To make matters worse, his time off the field has been met with much criticism due to the frequency of his injuries, including an early-season shoulder injury in 2021 that sidelined him for over a month.
The Ugly
Much of the criticism surrounding Gary Sanchez has made its way to his offensive production. On the heels of his stellar rookie campaign, Sanchez has failed to replicate the same level of performance at the plate. From 2017 to 2021 his batting average dipped by over 60 points and his home run total has been fairly lackluster, failing to surpass 24 in a single season.
Inability to Crack the Lineup
The inconsistency offensively and the occasional mental error has led to Sanchez’s inability to crack the Yankees starting lineup on a regular basis. Despite being regarded as the team’s best backstop, the team opted to rely on banged-up veterans most of the last four years, further exacerbating the dismay for Gary Sanchez. While Mike Tauchman, Aaron Hicks and Brett Gardner wiggled their way into the starting lineup on a regular basis, Sanchez found himself mostly on the bench.
His Major League Future
It’s fair to say that Gary Sanchez’s tenure in the Bronx has been far from perfect. While his rookie campaign was outstanding, his off-field injuries and his large mental errors along with his inability to recapture the same level of performance at the plate has led to much dismay from team fans and media. With that being said, Sanchez’s elite defensive tools and cannon of an arm should afford him an opportunity to stay in the major leagues.
It’s easy to understand why so much dismay exists for New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez. His tendency for mental mistakes and his inability to stay healthy has led to an unfulfilled tenure in the Bronx. While his future in the big leagues remains to be seen, Sanchez’s excellent work behind the plate should afford him a major league opportunity for the immediate future.
