Yankees: Should we be concerned about Gary Sanchez’s slow start?

The Yankees got their third win of the season after taking down the Orioles by a score of 9-3. New York looked very good offensively and defensively last night, but there is one player that hasn’t contributed to the Yankees’ success. Gary Sanchez hasn’t gotten a hit yet in the first four games of the season, and some fans are concerned about the 27-year old. 

Sanchez has been known to be cold for long periods of time. To me, this is none other than another one of these times. Lots of big-time hitters in the MLB are getting off to awful starts, and you can help but think it’s because of the little time they had to get prepared for the season. Especially for a catcher. To be successful on both sides of the field as a catcher, you need to have a lot of endurance. Sanchez’s endurance will get better the more innings he plays. That will help him focus more and have better at-bats at the plate. 

What is the main concern?

Sanchez is, however, one of the players in the MLB that’s OBP has gotten worse throughout his career. That’s the part that I see most concerning. Sanchez is really starting to become a home run and strikeout only hitter. He is lucky that the Yankees are so stacked on offense because he is able to have bad games like this and have New York win loads of games. 

It seems like over-time, Sanchez has been so focused on improving his defense, he has stayed on the same level hitting wise. In Aaron Judge’s rookie year, he was really bad at avoiding breaking pitches out of the zone. However, Judge has gotten better with that throughout his career. Sanchez, on the other hand, still whiffs at pitches outside the zone the way he did in his rookie year. We haven’t seen much improvement from him in that regard, and that could turn out to be more concerning in the future.

Gary has been noticeably better behind the plate with the help of new catching coach Tanner Swanson. I think it’s time he starts focusing on his struggles offensively, which will make him a more dynamic player in the future.

Sanchez’s power numbers have been off the charts from a catcher standpoint. If he figures out a way to get on base more often, he’ll be the best catcher in the MLB. Until then, he will still hit 25-40 home runs a year and come in the clutch a few times a season. His value will skyrocket if his singles and doubles can outweigh his home runs. Look to see how Sanchez will help the Yankees offensively this season.