Gary Sanchez’s Subway series mistake emblematic of Yankees struggles



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This MAY be determined in a millisecond, or in a lot less time than Gary Sanchez had at his disposal when Joey Gallo fed him a perfect first-inning relay throw on Friday night at Citi Field:

If the Yankees continue to fall throughout the playoffs, then Sanchez’s failure to score Jonathan Villar on that game in this possible 10-3 Subway Series loss to the Mets, will be the defining moment of this insane batspit campaign. .

“It’s a big game, it’s an important game,” admitted Aaron Boone after his Yankees (78-63) lost their seventh game in a row. “But you have to deal with it in a season, in a game.”

Oh, Villar capitalizing on Sanchez’s milquetoast execution – recognized only after Manhattan-based umpires knocked down their Queens counterparts via Luis Rojas’ replay challenge – simply tied the game at 1-1, and the Yankees went in fact took another lead in the second inning, 2-1, before losing pitcher Jordan Montgomery collapsed in the third allowing five runs. Two other Yankees made mistakes, although it appeared Sanchez could have prevented one, Gio Urshela’s wide throw in the third period. Besieged shortstop Gleyber Torres couldn’t point the finger at Sanchez after his high pitch in the seventh inning. And the visitors’ offensive was again disappointing. The Yankees struck out 10 catches in seven innings against Mets starter Tylor Megill to give the rookie a career-high.

Jonathan Villar # 1 of New York Mets slips under Gary Sanchez # 24 of New York Yankees
Gary Sanchez’s nonchalant tag attempt on Jonathan Villar
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

But Sanchez’s mistake on a streak that started with a single from Javier Baez to Gallo on the left – and a terrible send off from Villar by Mets third baseman Gary DiSarcina, by the way – was so blatant. , so useless, so symbolic of his worst moments when the Yankees reaffirmed last winter that he wore the night … and could win much more if the Yankees, now losing seven games in a row, fail to stop their bleeding . Gallo’s throw nailed Villar about 20 feet, and Sanchez’s decision to go around the tag allowed Villar to squeeze under him.

Beyond brutality.

“Obviously he’s going to come out easy,” Boone said of Villar, “… and I think [Sanchez] felt that, because he was out so much that he was getting up, he was coming out of his squatting and athletic position. In that place where you have a perfectly comfortable guy, you just have to lower your body, maybe initiate the contact, but stay athletic in your legs.

When asked if he thought this mistake had an impact on the Yankees for the remainder of the game, Boone replied, “Possibly. “

Miraculously, the Yankees still hold a playoff berth because the Orioles, of all clubs, halted the Blue Jays’ eight-game winning streak in Baltimore, Toronto’s last four wins came thanks to a loss to the Blue Jays. Bronx against the Yankees. Thus, the Yankees lead the Blue Jays (77-63) by a half-game for the second wild card location in the American League.

This is the smallest consolation for a team that cannot go out of its own way. That couldn’t capitalize on a perfect pitch from the recent Gallo acquisition, a stint that would have finished the round on a high note, held a lead and perhaps boosted the morale of the struggling newcomer.

It’s in the midst of a 2-11 dive that is the Yankees’ worst stretch since 2000, according to ESPN.

“We were the brightest team in the league,” said DJ LeMahieu, rightly so.

Sanchez partially rewarded the Yankees for their confidence, bouncing slightly above the league average offensively and reducing his past balls, though there is still no Gold Glover behind the plate. A room like this really stings, though. This feeds his many criticisms. This shocks his supporters.

All the Yankees have to do is turn around and turn that weak spot into a footnote. Can they meet this challenge? We will need much more time than a millisecond to find out, and if the answer is no it will be a long and painful demise for this club and those who love it.

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