Aaron Boone, Aaron Judge give their honest thoughts on Gary Sanchez

Throughout the years, Gary Sanchez has been one of the most polarizing figures around the MLB, especially for New York Yankees fans. While a solid hitter and with a big offensive presence, his defensive blunders have been well-documented.

The Dominican catcher has starred in a couple of infamous clips over the past couple of weeks, which is why it was so important for him to bounce back in a big way with a home run to lead his team to a crucial win in the hunt for a playoff berth.

“I felt good tonight,” Sanchez said after beating the Rangers.“I’ve got to say, it’s been a couple of games where I’ve felt really good at the plate. That’s what I’m looking for, that consistency. It’s something I’ve been chasing all year long.”

Aaron Boone, Aaron Judge Speak Up On Gary Sanchez

As per usual, manager Aaron Boone had El Kraken’s back. He said that, while he’s had some tough outings and has made terrible mistakes, he’s still a much better defender this year than he was before:

“Sometimes because Gary is the lightning rod that he seems to be sometimes, a play or two torpedoes some of that or changes that narrative,” Boone said. “I think it’s important to acknowledge the strides that he has made in every facet on the defensive side while also acknowledging a couple of big mistakes this week.”

Aaron Judge also lauded Sanchez’s work ethic, claiming that he’s always looking forward to improving, learning, and becoming a better player:

“The biggest thing is him showing up, ready to work, ready to learn every single day,” Judge said. “Especially a guy that I feel has gotten beaten down and kind of abused over the years, he’s a guy that continues to show up every day, works hard. He always wants to learn. He always wants to improve.”

Yankees Are Confident In Their Chances

Despite plenty of ups and downs, the Yankees are pretty much alive in the race for a Wild Card spot in the American League. And, while they still need some help from their rivals, they know that they control their destiny:

“It’s all in our hands,” Judge said. “If we go out there and take care of business, do what we need to do, we’re going to be where we want to be in October. We feel great. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I like where we’re at. I wish we were in a different spot, but that’s where we’re at right now.”

It seems like the Bronx Bombers are peaking at the right time, and albeit Sanchez’s presence will always raise some concerns, it’s nice to know that his teammates and manager still have his back.