Brian Cashman explains why Yankees probably won't trade for catcher

by Felix Pantaleón

With All-Star catcher Gary Sanchez on the disabled list, the Yankees will try to ride out Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka, general manager Brian Cashman said before an 11-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, July 1, 2018 (7/1/18) at Yankee Stadium.

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NEW YORK — Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka will have to hold things down until Gary Sanchez returns.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said it was unlikely he’d trade for a catcher to fill in with Sanchez on the disabled list before Sunday’s 11-1 romp over the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

“Easier said than done,” Cashman said. “It’s a very thin area. Look forward to getting Gary Sanchez back, keeping both Romine and Higashioka healthy. But I doubt there’s a scenario will be able to improve upon the depth, because there’s not a lot of great catching around the game.”

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Sanchez went on the disabled list June 25 with a right groin strain he suffered running to first base at Tropicana Field the day before.

Romine, Sanchez’s backup, will take the full-time job until Sanchez returns. Sanchez isn’t expected to be back until around the All-Star break.

Higashioka will back up Romine.

Sanchez was hitting .190, but had 14 home runs — the most among big-league catchers — when he got hurt. He also had 41 RBI and a .723 OPS.

Romine started the season an absolute force at the plate, hitting .373 with four homers and a 1.117 OPS through 21 games. He credited a change in approach and in his stance.

Since then, he’s crashed back to earth, hitting .111 in 11 games, including 1-for-13 (.077 BA) since taking over the full-time job.

Higashioka is 1-for-7 since getting called up. He started his career 0-for-22 — 18 of those at-bats coming in his debut lats year — before tanking a solo home run to the left field second deck for his first major-league hit Sunday.

“Trying to improve on that isn’t going to be easy,” Cashman said. “I would say, don’t hold your breath.”

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.

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