Gary Sanchez has been one of the most inconsistent players in all Major League Baseball over the past couple of years. But if you were to ask a New York Yankees fan, he’d disagree and he’d tell you that he’s been consistently bad.
He’s coming off a terrible season slashing just .147/.253/.365 and his never-ending slumps were only topped by his subpar defense, prompting the Yankees’ fanbase to urge for his release or trade.
That’s why he knows that he’s walking on thin ice as he heads to the 2021 season, and why he vowed to leave those woes behind and be mentally stronger to try and help the team make the World Series.
Gary Sanchez Says He Was Too Anxious In 2020
“You go into a short season and you’re not getting the results you want, you start getting anxious. You get to the point where you’re not producing the results you want, and then at some point, you start wanting to get two hits in one at-bat,” Sanchez said through an interpreter, according to The New York Post.
Aaron Boone Has Sanchez’s Back
Manager Aaron Boone once again stood by his catcher, claiming that he’s an outstanding player that has the ability to navigate through his slumps. He’s confident that he’ll show that this season:
“I think even at his lowest … he’s very confident in what he’s capable of doing and his ability. That said, I do think there’s been moments where there has … probably at times last year where [he was] pressing. You want to make up for some of the struggles you’ve had. That can snowball on you a little bit. I’ve certainly been there at the plate where even though you know what you’re capable of, you’re still in a funk where tension still sets in,” Boone said.
“But part of being a big leaguer and part of being an outstanding player is being able to navigate those, because you’re going to get hit in the mouth. You’re going to struggle. You’re going to have a few days where you’re feeling bad. The really good ones find a way to navigate out of that,” the manager concluded.
There’s not much room for error for the New York Yankees in 2021 and Gary Sanchez has often been the odd man out, so hopefully for him and the fans, he’ll bounce back in a big way and silence his critics once and for all.
