New York Yankees: Injury List grows with Sanchez’s left calf strain

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 07: Gary Sanchez #24 of the New York Yankees celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the eighth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 07, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 07: Gary Sanchez #24 of the New York Yankees celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the eighth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 07, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The New York Yankees have had a poor start to the season and a lot of their key players are injured. Add to that long list catcher Gary Sanchez.

It was announced this afternoon that New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez would be placed on the 10-day Injured List retroactive to Thursday. The injury in question is a left calf strain.

Replacing him on the active roster will be 28-year-old Kyle Higashioka, and he will likely backup Austin Romine behind the dish.

During Monday’s game against the Houston Astros, Sanchez felt tightness in his lower half and was reduced to designated hitter status Tuesday, before being subsequently held out of Wednesday’s contest.

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The Yankees current active roster is now hardly recognizable with losses to 11 additional players like Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Severino, and Didi Gregorius.

This comes as a huge blow to the Yankees, who not only are starting off on the wrong foot, but lost maybe their best offensive threat.

So far this season, Sanchez is slashing .268/.333/.732 with six home runs and 11 RBIs. He currently leads the team in home runs, slugging and OPS.

His replacement in Romine only has three hits in 15 at-bats thus far and has struck out four times.

Sanchez’s injury history is nothing new. Last season, he had two separate stints on the (then) Disabled List for groin ailments.

There is some good news on the horizon for the New York Yankees, however. CC Sabathia is set to be reinstated on Saturday, while Giancarlo Stanton has started “swinging a bat,” according to the New York Times.

The Yankees are currently 5-7 in the AL East. They are set to begin a 9-game home stand beginning with the Chicago White Sox this weekend.