New York Yankees: Gary Sanchez thriving again in August

Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has rediscovered some of that August mojo and is showing shades of last year’s amazing rookie campaign.

It’s difficult to view Gary Sanchez‘s 2017 season through anything but the prism of last year’s amazing two-month run. After being called up for good on August 3, the New York Yankees catcher made an improbable bid for the Rookie of the Year Award… and almost pulled it off. This season has featured some bumps along the way, but Sanchez is once again hitting his stride in the month of August.

Sanchez’s incredible showing in August of 2016 was always going to be a tough act to follow. He slashed a mighty .389/.458/.832 with 11 home runs and 21 RBI in just 24 games. In fact, the young backstop demonstrated some growing pains the very next month. Though Sanchez added another nine homers and 21 RBI to his account, he hit only .225.

Heading into August of this campaign, it was fair to say that Sanchez had turned in a somewhat uneven performance to that point. He had earned his first All-Star Game selection and still provided robust power and run production for his position with 16 homers and 51 RBI in 72 contests. However, a .231 batting average in July had helped lower his season slash line to .266/.341/.485 – not bad, but well below last year’s level. There were also mounting questions about Sanchez’s defense, particularly his ability to block pitches in the dirt.

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However, Sanchez has caught fire this month and his August numbers are starting to look not too far off from last year’s. While he hasn’t managed to replicate the nearly .400 batting average and .500 OBP, he’s once again flexing his power muscles. Sanchez is slashing .304/.375/.739 with nine homers and 18 RBI through 19 contests.

At the rate he’s going, he should be able to surpass last August’s home run and RBI totals by the end of the month without much difficulty. He might even match them before he reaches the 24-game mark.

Most importantly, the 24-year-old seems to be getting some of that swagger back. Look no further than last night’s two-homer performance in Detroit. Sanchez clubbed an absolute bomb in the first inning that cleared the left-field seats. It traveled 493 feet, making it the second-longest home run of the year, barely trailing the 495-foot blast his teammate Aaron Judge hit in June. For good measure, Sanchez added an opposite-field shot in the ninth, capping a three-hit, four-RBI evening.

Sanchez’s torrid month has raised his line to .274/.348/.536 on the season. His 25 home runs lead all catchers, and his 69 RBI rank second behind Willson Contreras‘ 70. His 3.1 fWAR trails only Buster Posey at 4.0. And keep in mind that Sanchez missed about a month at the beginning of the season with a biceps strain.

When Judge was on his rampage prior to the All-Star break, Sanchez became somewhat overlooked. Now that the rookie outfielder is scuffling, Sanchez has emerged as the Yankees’ second-half star. His offensive surge has come at the right time, as the team’s lineup has been inconsistent in recent weeks. They’re trying to build on their lead in the crowded AL Wild Card race while remaining within striking distance in the division.

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If you had any lingering doubts about Sanchez’s staying power, he’s answering them this month. He’s still one of the game’s brightest young stars and a headlining component of the Yankees’ long-term future.