Yankees’ Gary Sanchez to disabled list after denying groin injury was source of laziness

Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez appeared to make two mental mistakes in the 7-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The first came on a passed ball in the first inning. The second was the final out of the game, with the tying run on base.

The Yankees are putting catcher Gary Sanchez on the disabled list:

Prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees placed C Gary Sanchez on the 10-day DL with a right groin strain.

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 24, 2018

ESPN’s Buster Olney was the first to report the news:

Word is that Gary Sanchez is being placed on the disabled list. Had an MRI today, which confirmed an injury.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 24, 2018

Fancred’s Jon Heyman was the first to report that Sanchez might have been injured by the end of Monday’s 7-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.:

Word is, Gary Sanchez may have re-aggravated groin injury on first inning passed ball last night. He’s getting killed for “lazy” plays but perhaps this explains them. Was afraid to tell team initially because he dreads return to dl. Now will get treatment, try to avoid dl.

Criticism of Sanchez’s apparent lack of effort poured in moments after Monday’s loss, which dropped the Yankees six games behind the first-place Boston Red Sox in the American League East.

In the first inning, Rays first baseman Jake Bauers scored a two-out run from second base because Sanchez didn’t initially hustle to chase down a passed ball that bounced off his glove and rolled about 15 feet up the third-base line in foul territory.

With the bases loaded and the Rays clinging to a one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning, Sanchez hit a hard grounder to short and was thrown out by two steps at first base after Aaron Hicks beat a throw to second base to avoid being forced out.

Sanchez appeared to be jogging to first base all night, and it prevented the Yankees from scoring the tying run with two outs in the ninth inning.

Both manager Aaron Boone and Sanchez were asked after the game if the catcher was hurt, per NJ Advance Media’s Randy Miller:

Sanchez hasn’t been running hard since he returned from a groin injury last Friday, the Yankees’ first game after the All-Star break, and his lack of hustle running out three ground balls, a popup and a single on Monday night was hard to miss.

Is his groin still hurting?

Boone was asked first if Sanchez is hurt.

“No,” the manager responded. “He should be able to get after it. He’s here and back and should be fine getting after things.”

Later, Sanchez was asked if his groin is still hurting or if he’s tentative about running hard out of fear of straining it again.

“I’m fine,” he said. “The injury and thinking about it definitely is behind me.”

Starting pitching market analysis

Sounds like the Yankees have some explaining to do. Meanwhile, look for backup catcher Austin Romine to be in the starting lineup Tuesday.

(NJ Advance Media’s Randy Miller contributed to this report.)

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.