New York Yankees Should Make Gary Sanchez Their Permanent DH
Gary Sanchez has been great at the plate for the New York Yankees but has struggled behind the dish. Perhaps the Yankees should let him play to his strengths by making him their permanent designated hitter.
There is no doubt Gary Sanchez is an elite talent. The 24-year-old catcher from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic burst onto the scene for the New York Yankees in 2016. In only 53 games, Sanchez immediately let the rest of Major League Baseball know he was here to stay with a .299 batting average, 20 home runs, and 42 runs batted in.
Related Story: New York Yankees May Already Have Their DH of the Future
Baseball is such a beautiful game as you have 162 games to prove you’re the real deal. If those 53 weren’t enough, Gary came back even stronger this year. Despite missing 21 games early in the season due to a strained biceps, he has put up incredible numbers with a .276 batting average, 28 home runs, and 81 runs batted in with over 20 games left in the season.
The consensus on Sanchez is out. We know he can hit and hit at an elite level. However, the Yankees must decide whether or not they’re willing to keep putting up with his defensive mishaps.
More from New York Yankees
- Last Chance Caesars Promo: Claim $1,250 Bonus for ANY MLB Bet!
- Caesars New York Promo Code Gives TWO Chances to Win Betting on Your Yankees!
- PointsBet New York Promo: FIVE $100 Bonus Bets to Back the Yankees or Mets!
- Caesars NY Promo: $1,250 Bonus to Celebrate the Return of Judge!
- Get $500 in Bonus Bets to Back Yankees or Mets With PointsBet New York Promo
Moving Sanchez entirely to the designated hitter role will allow him to stay healthy over the long haul of a grueling and demanding 162 game regular season and let him focus more on his hitting. As the permanent DH, Gary Sanchez can go out there and do what he does best and wreak havoc on opposing pitching staffs.
Sanchez has an elite arm as he ranks eighth among all MLB catchers throwing runners out at a 35.7% rate. However, his 14 passed balls and counting (if he continues to catch) rank second in the league and are something both Sanchez and the New York Yankees cannot afford to deal with heading into October baseball where every pitch, every inning, and every game is crucial.
The Yankees need their All-Star catcher to be at his best and truthfully, his best is at the plate demanding respect from opposing pitching staffs. Moving forward, the Yankees have a tough decision to make, or maybe it isn’t that tough after all.
Next: Red Sox Caught Stealing Yankees Signs Using Apple Watch
Having your future perennial All-Star with a clear conscience at the plate, not worrying about anything else but hitting, is a scary advantage if you ask me.
Think it’s not? Just ask Boston how great it was to have David Ortiz as their designated hitter for 14 seasons, destroying opposing pitchers. The New York Yankees should know very well, it wasn’t a good feeling. Gary Sanchez, I believe, can have the same impact.